• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6155-6157
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• 2012

Background: Mutations in the MAPK (Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase) signaling pathway - EGFR/Ras/RAF/MEK have been associated with the development of several carcinomas. ERK2, a downstream target of the MAPK pathway and a founding member of the MAPK family is activated by cellular signals emanating at the cell membrane. Activated ERK2 translocates into the nucleus to transactivate genes that promote cell proliferation. MKP - a dual specific phosphatase - interacts with activated ERK2 via the common docking (CD) domain of the later to inactivate (dephosphorylate) and effectively terminate further cell proliferation. A constitutively active form of ERK2 carrying a single point mutation - E322K in its CD domain, was earlier reported by our laboratory. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of this CD domain E322K mutation in 88 well differentiated OSCC tissue samples. Materials and Method: Genomic DNA specimens isolated from 88 oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue samples were amplified with primers flanking the CD domain of the ERK2 gene. Subsequently, PCR amplicons were gel purified and subjected to direct sequencing to screen for mutations. Results: Direct sequencing of eighty eight OSCC samples identified an E322K CD domain mutation in only one (1.1%) OSCC sample. Conclusions: Our result indicates that mutation in the CD domain of ERK2 is rare in OSCC patients, which suggests the role of genetic alterations in other mitogenic genes in the development of carcinoma in the rest of the patients. Nevertheless, the finding is clinically significant, as the relatively rare prevalence of the E322K mutation in OSCC suggests that ERK2, being a common end point signal in the multi-hierarchical mitogen activated signaling pathway may be explored as a viable drug target in the treatment of OSCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9773-9779
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the prime causes of mortality around the globe, with a significantly rising incidence in the Middle East region in recent decades. Since detection of CRC in the early stages is an important issue, and also since to date there are no comprehensive epidemiologic studies depicting the Middle East region with special attention to the average risk group, further investigation is of significant necessity in this regard. Aim: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the colon in an average risk population. Materials and Methods: A total of 1,208 eligible asymptomatic, average- risk adults older than 40 years of age, referred to Firuzgar Hospotal in the years 2008-2012, were enrolled. They underwent colonoscopy screening and all polypoid lesions were removed and examined by an expert gastrointestinal pathologist. The lesions were classified by size, location, numbers and pathologic findings. Size of lesions was measured objectively by endoscopists. Results: The mean age of participants was $56.5{\pm}9.59$ and 51.6% were male. The overall polyp detection rate was 199/1208 (16.5 %), 26 subjects having non-neoplastic polyps, including hyperplastic lesions, and 173/1208 (14.3%) having neoplastic polyps, of which 26 (2.15%) were advanced neoplasms. The prevalence of colorectal neoplasia was more common among the 50-59 age group. Advanced adenoma was more frequent among the 60-69 age group. The majority of adenomas were detected in the distal colon, but a quarter of advanced adenomas were found in the proximal colon; advance age and male gender was associated with the presence of adenoma. Conclusions: It seems that CRC screening among average-risk population might be recommended in countries such as Iran. However, sigmioidoscopy alone would miss many colorectal adenomas. Furthermore, the 50-59 age group could be considered as an appropriate target population for this purpose in Iran.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.73-85
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to find out the prevalence of the urinary incontinence and it's relating factors in women. The target population is 327 community dwelling women in the age of 30-70 years old at 6 cities in Korea. The data were collected from August, 1996 to December. 1996 with interview using structured questionaire composing of items of general characteristics, obstetric characteristics, disease characteristics, situation of experiencing urinary incontinence, discomfort due to urinary incontinence, and depression. The data were analysed with $SPSS/PC^+$ program, T-test, $x^2$ test, and ANOVA test. The results obtained from this study were as follows : 1) The prevalence of urinary incontinence in women is 37.7%(130/327). 2) The mean duration of experiencing the urinary incontinence was 75.9 months and the 60% of the respondents experienced a few frequency of urinary incontinence and the most common amount of urinary incontinence(91.5%) was somewhat small expressed as 'wetting their clothes'. 3) The common factors related to the urinary incontinence were coughing, sneezing, laughing aloudly, and the activities of need for hurry. 4) The most common situations of discomforts associated with urinary incontinence were having long journey, exercise, playing, and social meeting. 5) The incidence of urinary incontinence was significantly higher in woman who had more children, older age of last delivery, more vaginal delivaries, and less c-section. 6) The incidence of urinary incontinence was not affected with the disease characteristics of the respondents, however it was higher when the women had the physical problems of constipation, abdominal laparatomy and episode of urinary catheterization than who had not. 7) The most common symptom of urinary incontinence was the frequent urine(43.1%), and the next was the urgent urine(12.3), delayed urine(9.2%). 8) 90.7% of the epsodic urinary incontinence were not treated at al, however, they wanted to try the herb medicine(41.5%), Kegel exercise(27.7%), and biofeedback(10.0%). 9) The level of Depression in the group of urinary incontinence was higher than that of non incontinence group significantly. In conclusion, as urinary incontinence in women proved severe health problem, health care providers need to develop and provide nursing intervention of urinary incontinence such as pelvic muscle exercise with bio-feedback and psychological care.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.712-723
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• 2016

This paper is to suggest the methods about the environmental risk assessment (ERA) based on non-target insect species for LM rice crop produced by biotechnology. We used some data by the picture dictionary of agricultural pests in Korea, some books for ERA or rice pest ecology, articles about rice ecology, and internet sites and many specialists gave us good advice for this ERA system. We found about 140 insect species using rice crop as their habitat and we discriminated herbivores into Sap feeder, Grain feeder, Defoliator, and Pollen feeder according to their food functional group. We also clarified the potential damage possibility of insect species from LM rice crop. Then, we ranked 10 non-target insect species (Baliothrips biformis, Laodelphax striatellus, Nilaparvata lugens, Mythimna separata, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, Cletus schmidti Kiritshenko, Scotinophara lurida, Nilaparvata bakeri, Oxya chinensis, Agromyza oryzae) with giving some scores using Geographic distribution, Habitat specialization, Prevalence on crop, Abundance. We showed some environmental risk hypotheses about herbivore, predator, and parasitoid, and infered the impacts of non-target species on LM rice crop. Conclusively, we want to serve this methodology to build the biosafety system from biotechnology crops, and the methodology is to keep public health, sustain the biodiversity, and conserve the natural ecosystems.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2014

Objectives: Along with the several cases of pulmonary disorders caused by exposure to indium that have been reported in Japan, China, and the United States, cases of Korean workers involved in processes that require handling of indium compounds with potential risk of exposure to indium compounds have also been reported. We performed biological monitoring for workers in various target manufacturing processes of indium, indium oxide, and indium tin oxide(ITO)/indium zinc oxide(IZO) in domestic factories. Materials: As biological exposure indices, we measured serum concentrations of indium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and Krebs von den Lungen 6(KL-6) and surfactant protein D(SP-D) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We classified the ITO/IZO target manufacturing process into powdering, mixing, molding, sintering, polishing, bonding, and finishing. Results: The powdering process workers showed the highest serum indium level. The mixing and polishing process workers also showed high serum indium levels. In the powdering process, the mean indium serum concentration in the workers exceeded $3{\mu}g/L$, the reference value in Japan. Of the powdering, mixing, and polishing process workers, 83.3%, 50.0%, and 24.5%, respectively, had values exceeding the reference value in Japan. We suppose that the reason of the higher prevalence of high indium concentrations in powder processing workers was that most of the particles in the powdering process were respirable dust smaller than $10{\mu}m$. The mean KL-6 and SP-D concentrations were high in the powdering, mixing, and polishing process workers. Therefore, the workers in these processes who were at greater risk of exposure to indium powder were those who had higher serum levels of indium, as well as KL-6 and SP-D. We observed significant differences in serum indium, KL-6, and SP-D levels between the process groups. Conclusions: Five among the seven reported cases of "indium lung" in Japan involved polishing process workers. Polishing process workers in Korea also had high serum levels of indium, KL-6, and SP-D. The outcomes of this study can be used as essential bases for establishing biological monitoring measures for workers handling indium compounds, and for developing health-care guidelines and special medical surveillance in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.65-76
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• 2018

Although there has been a steady increase in the prevalence of food allergies worldwide in recent decades, no effective therapeutic strategies have been developed. Modulation of the gut microbiota composition and/or function through probiotics has been highlighted as a promising target for protection against food allergies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the allergy-reducing effects of a probiotic mixture (P5: Lactococcus lactis KF140, Pediococcus pentosaceus KF159, Lactobacillus pentosus KF340, Lactobacillus paracasei 698, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 26N) in mice with ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy. Administration of P5 significantly suppressed the oral OVA challenge-induced anaphylactic response and rectal temperature decline, and reduced diarrhea symptoms. Moreover, P5 also significantly inhibited the secretion of IgE, Th2 cytokines (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13), and Th17 cytokines (IL-17), which were increased in mice with OVA-induced food allergy, and induced generation of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. These results revealed that P5 may have applications as a preventive agent against food allergy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.205-215
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• 2004

In the early host defense system, effector function of natural killer (NK) cells results in natural killing against target cells such as microbe-infected, malignant, and certain allogenic cells without prior stimulation. NK cell cytotoxicity is selectively regulated by homeostatic prevalence between a repertoire of both activating and inhibitory receptors, and the discrimination of untransformed cells is achieved by recognition of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I alleles through inhibitory signals. Although it is well known that the bipotential T/NK progenitors are derived from the common precusor, functional mechanisms in terms of the development of NK cells remain to be further investigated. NK cells are mainly involved in innate immunity, but recent studies have been reported that they also play a critical role in adaptive immune responses through interaction with dendritic cells (DC). This interaction will provide effector functions and development of NK cells, and elucidation of its precise mechanism may lead to therapeutic strategies for effective treatment of several immune diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.497-509
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• 2006

Until recently, the tuberculin skin test (TST) has been the only tool available for diagnosing a latent TB infection. However, the development of new diagnostic tools, using the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific early secreted antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10) antigens, should improve the control of tuberculosis (TB) by allowing a more accurate identification of a latent TB infection (LTBI). Antigen-specific interferon-gamma ($IFN-{\gamma}$) assays have greater specificity in BCG-vaccinated individuals, and as less biased by nontuberculous mycobacterial infections. Many comparative studies have suggested that those assays have a higher specificity than the TST, and the sensitivity of these assays are expected to remarkably improved if more MTB-specific antigens can become available. Nevertheless, the major obstacle to the widespread use of these tests is the limited financial resources. Similar to other diagnostic tests, the predictive value of $IFN-{\gamma}$ assays depends on the prevalence of a MTB infection in the population being tested. Therefore, prospective studies will be meeded to establish the applicability of these new assays at multiple geographic locations among patients of different ethnicities, and to determine if the $IFN-{\gamma}$ responses can indicate those with a high risk of progressing to active TB.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2619-2623
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• 2012

The prevalence of human papillomavirus genotypes differs in various target organs. HPV16 is the most prevalent genotype in the cervix while genotypes 6 and 11 are highly prevalent in skin and aero-digestive tract infections. In this study HPV11 positive specimens were selected from cervix, larynx and lung biopsy tissue to analyze the whole genome by PCR and direct sequencing. Five HPV11 whole genomes were characterized, consisting of two cervical specimens, two laryngeal specimens and one lung specimen. The results showed high homology of HPV11 in these organs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all HPV11 derived from various organs belonged to the same lineage. Molecular characterization and functional studies can further our understanding of virulence, expression or transmission. Additional studies on functional protein expression at different organ sites will also contribute to our knowledge of HPV infection in various organs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2591-2600
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• 2015

Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide among women and the second most common cancer. Approximately 15-23% of breast cancers over-express human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER2), a 185-kDa transmembrane tyrosine kinase, which is mainly found at the cell surface of tumor cells. HER2-positive breast cancer, featuring amplification of HER2/neu and negative expression of ER and PR, has the three following characteristics: rapid tumor growth, lower survival rate, and better response to adjuvant therapies. Clinically, it is notable for its role in a pathogenesis that is associated with increased disease recurrence and acts as a worse prognosis. At the same time, it represents a good target for anti-cancer immunotherapy despite the prevalence of drug resistance. New treatments are a major topic of research, and a brighter future can be expected. This review discusses the role of HER2 in breast cancer, therapeutic modalities available and prognostic factors.