• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2008

Tuberculous arthritis on the sternoclavicular joint is an uncommon disease and a delayed diagnosis can be due to the obscure clinical symptoms. We should suspect tuberculous arthritis in patients with slowly progressive pain, swelling, mild fever and a previous history of tuberculosis. Early diagnosis is important through conducting a thorough physical examination and performing laboratory tests and radiologic study. Tuberculous arthritis on the sternoclavicular joint should be treated with a combination of systemic antituberculous agents and thorough surgical debridement in marked damaged joints. When performing this operation, it is important not only to minimized the injury of the costoclavicular ligament, but also to avoid injury to the surrounding the vital structures such as the mediastinum and pleura after aggressive resection or radical debridement. We describe here 2 cases of the tuberculous arthritis on the sternoclavicular joint: one case had a good result after surgical debridement with using an anti-tuberculous agent, and the other had fatal complications such as mediastinal abscess and pleural effusion after the operation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.215-220
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• 2004

We investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract of Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (AEAC), a traditional Korean herb for remedying liver disease, for suppression in the process of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in the liver of rat. Level of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was increased in the serum of LPS-treated rats compared to normal, however, in the rats pretreated with AEAC, the increase of GOT, GPT and LDH value was arrested. More severe histological changes of liver such as cloudy swelling, hydropic degeneration, Kupffer cell reaction and inflammatory cells infiltration were demonstrated in the rats challenged with LPS compared with normal. Fewer scores of these changes were observed in rats pretreated with AEAC. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that while the expression of the nuclear factor (NF)-kBp65, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and COX (cyclooxygenase)-2 tended to increase, that of inhibitory (I)-kBa was decreased in the hepatocytes of rats challenged with LPS. A slight decline of NF-kBp65, TNF-$\alpha$ and COX-2, but increase of I-kB$\alpha$ were observed in the hepatocytes of the rats pretreated with AEAC. These results suggest that AEAC may act as a therapeutic agent for liver disease through a regulation of inflammation-related proteins.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.978-983
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• 2006

We investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of mycelial culture extract from Phellinus linteus (MCPL) for suppression in the process of ethanol-induced inflammation in rat liver. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly increased in the serum of ethanol-treated rats compared to normal. However, the level of ALT was arrested markedly in ethanol-treated rats with MCPL compared to ethanol alone treated control ones. Severe histopathological changes of liver such as cloudy swelling, inflammatory cells infiltration, Kupffer cell reaction and focal necrosis were demonstrated in the rats challenged with ethanol compared with normal. Fewer scores of these changes were observed in MCPL-treated rat with recovered glycogen in centrolobular region of hepatic lobule. The Western analysis showed that the expression of inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, COX-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ were increased in the ethanol-treated rat. But decline of COX-2 and iNOS expression were observed in MCPL-treated rat. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of COX-2 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ tended to increase in ethanol-treated rat, but decrease of these reactions were induced by MCPL treatment. These results suggest that MCPL may act as a protective agent for alcohol-induced liver injury through a regulating inflammation-related proteins.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2017

In this study, we performed surface modification of biodegradable microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) to use as a filler in polyethylene (PE) composite in food packaging application. We modified MCC surface with (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)diethylenetriamine (TPDT) silane coupling agent, which has one primary amino group and two secondary amino groups per molecule, to introduce amino groups with a carbon dioxide adsorption capability in MCC. Effects of each of the reaction conditions such as amount of TPDT introduced, swelling time, reaction temperature, and reaction time on surface modification degree of MCC were investigated by changing a variety of above reaction conditions. The amount of TPDT grafted on MCC surface and formation of chemical bonds were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis (EA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and solid state $^{29}Si$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. We confirmed increase of grafted amount of TPDT on MCC with increasing reaction time, reaction temperature, and amount of introduced TPDT.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 2000

Background : Joint symptoms frequently occur in the course of antituberculous chemotherapy and tend to be ignored and overlooked, but in some cases, they are often very troublesome in obstructing ordinary life. Joint symptoms that develop during antituberculous chemotherapy need to be understood, but there are few materials describing them systematically. Method : This study enrolled 33 patients with tuberculosis treated with first line antituberculous agents for more than 6months. In the course of treatment, joint symptoms not associated with specific cause, such as preexisting joint disease or trauma, were investigated and compared with thæe of the asymptomatic group. We confirmed the incidence of joint symptoms and factors associated with them. Results : Nineteen of 33 patients (58%) had joint symptoms. Joint symptoms developed 1.9$\pm$1.4 months after the beginning of chemotherapy and lasted for 3.6$\pm$2.5months. In 18 of 19 symptomatic patients, multiple joints were involved: shoulder (10 patients, 53%), knee (10, 53%), finger (6, 32 %). Joint symptoms were expressed as pain (19 patiens, 100%), stiffness (7, 37%) and/or swelling (3, 16%). Fourteen patients (74%) took analgesics to relieve their symptoms and in 2 patients, antituberculous agents were discontinued because of the severity of their symptoms. The symptoms seem to be caused by agents other than pyrazinamide, but it was very difficult to identify the definite causative agent. In age, sex, underlying disease and serum uric acid level, no significant differences were noted between the two groups. Conclusions : Although joint symptoms are common during antituberculous chemotherapy, their development is difficult to predict. Because some joint symptoms can become very bothersome, the physician should pay close attention to these symptoms.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2020

To improvement the swelling characteristics of the existing cutoff wall against the moisture, the permeability of the sand, calcium bentonite and solidifier mixture according to the contact with trichloroethylene (TCE) was evaluated. Characteristics analysis and the permeability test of the research materials were performed. The permeability was decreased as the mixing ratio of the calcium bentonite was increased and it was increased as the mixing ratio of the solidifier was increased. In conclusion, when mixing 15% of calcium bentonite and more than 30% of solidifier, the permeability coefficient in the underground water movement was analyzed as more than α × 10^-4 cm/sec showing that it does not block the underground water movement. In addition, as the permeability coefficient of mixtures after TCE reaction was analyzed as less than α ×10^-7 cm/sec, it satisfied the condition of blocking layer (less than 1.0 × 10^-6 cm/sec). Therefore, the calcium bentonite and solidifier can be utilized as barrier that showing the characteristic of percolation ability conversion in soil and underground water contaminated with TCE.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2011

Highly enriched oxygen is used in energy-efficient combustion due to decreased non-flammable nitrogen, while high purity nitrogen is used for explosion proof in the LNG ships and keeping the freshness of green stuffs. Membrane technology can be used in these $O_2$ and $N_2$ generation with low energy consumption. In this study, PES was used as a membrane material and 1-methyl-2-pyrollidone (NMP) and acetone were employed as a good solvent and nonsolvent addictive (swelling agent to PES), respectively. Dope solutions were prepared by changing the content of acetone (0, 6.5, 15, 25, 31.5 wt%) in 37 wt% PES solutions. Hollow fiber spinning was performed at 0~10 cm of air-gap distances for each dope solution. $O_2/N_2$ selectivity and permeability were investigated by comparing of hollow fibers coated or not by silicons. $O_2/N_2$ selectivity increased and permeance of $O_2$ and $N_2$ decreased with increasing air-gap height independently of acetone addictions. Optimized PES hollow fibers were obtained with 37/6.5/56.5 wt% PES/acetone/NMP dope solution and 10 cm air-gap, which showed 7.3 of $O_2/N_2$ selectivity and 4.3 GPU of $O_2$ permeability after silicon coating.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.437-442
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• 2020

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is critical for host defense as well as the progression of inflammatory diseases through the production of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, which is cleaved by active caspase-1. It has been reported that overactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to the development and pathology of acne vulgaris. Therefore, inhibiting activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome may provide a new therapeutic strategy for acne vulgaris. In this study, we investigated whether auranofin, an anti-rheumatoid arthritis agent, inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, thereby effectively treating acne vulgaris. Auranofin suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by Propionibacterium acnes, reducing the production of IL-1β in primary mouse macrophages and human sebocytes. In a P. acnes-induced acne mouse model, injection of P. acnes into the ears of mice induced acne symptoms such as redness, swelling, and neutrophil infiltration. Topical application of auranofin (0.5 or 1%) to mouse ears significantly reduced the inflammatory symptoms of acne vulgaris induced by P. acnes injection. Topical application of auranofin led to the downregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome activated by P. acnes in mouse ear skin. These results show that auranofin inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome, the activation of which is associated with acne symptoms. The results further suggest that topical application of auranofin could be a new therapeutic strategy for treating acne vulgaris by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 1987

The use of alkylating agent cyclophosphamide(CY), a widely used antitumor drug is well known as a potent immunosuppressant and has been used as a probe for investigating the functional capabilities of lymphocyte subsets of both T and B cells that play an important role in the regulation of the immune response. The present study was undertaken in an effort to assess the effects of CY on immunological memory in murine model. CY, given as a single dose of CY(250mg/kg) before sensitization with sheep red blood cells(SRBC) enhanced the primary response of Arthus and delayed-type hypersensitivity(DTH), as measured by footpad swelling reaction, but suppressed their tertiary DTH response. The similar CY pretreatment enhanced both the primary and tertiary hemagglutinin(HA) responses to SRBC, and the tertiary antibody response against polyvinylpyrroridone(PVP), a thymus-independent antigen but not the primary response against PVP. CY, given as a single dose of 250mg/kg 2 days before the primary immunization and two doses of 100mg/kg 2 days before the secondary and tertiary immunization, markedly suppressed the tertiary DTH and HA responses to SRBC. However, CY, given as small multiple daily doses(10mg/kg) over 4 days before sensitization but not after sensitization, enhanced the secondary HA response to SRBC. Contact sensitivity to dinitrofluorobenzene(DNFB) was suppressed by the drug, given either as a single large dose(300mg/kg) or as multiple dose(10mg/kg) administered 2 days before, together with or after DNFB sensitization. This suppression was more pronounced and more significant when CY was given as multiple dose. However, the enhancement of the secondary contact sensitivity to DNFB by CY was not clear-cut. The splenectomy appears to increase the enhancing effect of CY on contact sensitivity. These results suggest that CY selectively influences the immune response depending on the time of the drug administration relative to immunization and that the secondary or tertiary immune response involve memory cells with different susceptibilities to CY. Moreover, these results suggest that multiple low doses may sesectivley inhibit suppressor T cell proliferation involving DTH, HA or contact sensitivity without effecting helper T cells, but high doses presumably inhibit helper T cells and suppressor T cells with effecting B cells.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.730-739
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• 2000

Background : The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical manifestations and efficacy of treatment regimens in order to determine the adequate combination of anti-tuberculotic agents and duration of treatment for tuberculous lymphadenitis. Methods : We made a review of 373 patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis, who were admitted to four medical college hospitals in Taegu Korea from 1989 to 1998, and their diagnoses were confirmed histologically and bacteriologically. Results : The incidence of tuberculous lymphadenitis was 71.3% in women and 57.7% were between the ages of 20 and 39 years. The most common symptom was painless swelling. The most commonly involved lymph nodes were unilateral superficial cervical lymph node groups. Tuberculous lymphadenitis was accompanied with active pulmonary tuberculosis, commonly. The sensitivity of fine needle aspiration(FNA) in tuberculous lymphadenitis was 79.6%, and 92.2% of the patients had a strong positive reaction to the tuberculin skin test. The most commonly prescribed anti-tuberculotic regimen was the combination of INH, RMP, EMB, and PZA(62.6 %). Eighty percent of patient were treated for 9-12 months. There was no significantly difference in the recurrence rate of tuberculous lymphadenitis between the combinations of anti-tuberculotic agent, including INH and RMP, and between the durations of treatment, for a period of 6 months of more. Conclusion : The combination of FNA cytologic examination and tuberculin skin test may be helpful in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis. We propose that the combination of anti-tuberculotic agents, INH, RMP, EMB, and PZA, be prescribed to patients for 6 to 9 months.