Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) is a term that means post-Sanger sequencing methods with high-throughput sequencing technologies. NGS parallelizes the sequencing process, producing thousands or millions of sequences at once. The latest NGS technologies use even single DNA molecule as a template and measures the DNA sequence directly via measuring electronic signals from the extension or degradation of DNA. NGS is making big impacts on biomedical research, molecular diagnosis and personalized medicine. The hospitals are rapidly adopting the use of NGS to help to patients understand treatment with sequencing data. As NGS equipments are getting smaller and affordable, many hospitals are in the process of setting up NGS platforms. In this review, the progress of NGS technology development and action mechanisms of representative NGS equipments of each generation were discussed. The key technological advances in the commercialized platforms were presented. As NGS platforms are a great concern in the healthcare area, the latest trend in the use of NGS and the prospect of NGS in the future in diagnosis and personalized medicine were also discussed.

We investigated the latest trend of u-Health and relations with clinical technologist. Since 2000, Korea has become an aging society. Korea will become an aged society by 2018, and it is expected to enter the ultra-high aged society by 2026. Increase in over 65 years population means that the desire of medical service and care demand for the elderly is greatly required. In addition, many predicted Korean national health insurance would falter financially. Medical suppression policies and regulations are also amended continuously. U-Health based on the IT industry and development of related technologies and industries contains the variety concepts of telemedicine, telehealth, e-health, u-healthcare and POCT. Especially, the use of POCT supplied quick clinical examination is extending steadily in medical center and hospital, which will generate the field friction between nurses and medical technologists. In the transition situation from provider-centric service to consumer-driven health care system, this study recommended the principal role and correspondence of clinical laboratory workers and offered information about changes in healthcare market and the basic concept of expert system, measurement and the diagnosis principle to clinical technicians throughout the investigation of the recent research and government policy trends.

The purpose of intra-operative neurological monitoring (INM) is to minimize surgically induced nerve damage, sensory nerves and motor neurons without affecting the operations to proceed during surgery such as evoked potentials (EP), electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial doppler (TCD), etc. During the course of checking a patient's condition, surveillance of ambulatory patients is a very different thing to check if the test is done under general anesthesia. INM can be possible or impossible depending on the type of drugs used and their concentrations because the monitoring is performed under anesthesia. Therefore, it is emphasized on the necessity of reviewing anesthesia which influences on INM.

The purpose of this study is to examine the population density of the mosquito species, and to provide the basic data related to vector mosquitoes to manage the possible epidemic diseases. During a 4-year investigation (2001, 2002, 2004, and 2006), we collected the specimens of the mosquitoes at pier no. 1, 3 and 5 of Busan port with light traps from sunset until the next day morning from April to October each year. Through the research, we collected 5,985 mosquito specimens in total and found 7 mosquito species belonging to 3 genera. A total of 1,575, 1,473, 1,478 and 1,459 mosquito specimens were collected in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006, respectively. Among them, 5,568 (93.0%) specimens were Culex pipiens pallens, the West Nile virus infection vector, which showed the highest density among the specimens. The population densities of the other species were: 295(4.9%) Culex tritaeniorhynchus, 94(1.5%) Aedes togoi, 12(0.3%) Aedes albopictus, 10(0.2%) Anopheles sinensis, 4(0.1%) Aedes vexans nipponii, 2(0.1%) Culex inatomii. The monthly abundance of mosquitoes from July through September showed the highest values. Although it was a general mosquito monitoring study, this study could provide a base for securing the statistical data on spreading epidemic diseases by people infected outside Korea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea and is caused by obstruction of the upper airway. It is characterized by repetitive pauses in breathing during sleep despite the effort to breathe. Apnea is closely related to clinical findings and respiratory disturbance index (RDI). The total subjects were 42 (male 26, female 16) and examined by polysomography (PSG) in terms of RDI above 5 and below 5 at Mok-Dong Hospital in Ewha Womans University from January to June, 2012. The study revealed the followings: The comparison of clinical findings and RDI above 5 showed significant increase in age, BMI, and snoring sound although lowest $SpO_2$ level decreased. The correlation coefficient analysis between clinical findings and RDI showed statistically significant correlation in age, BMI, lowest $SpO_2$ although snoring sound and average $SpO_2$ showed statistically insignificant correlation.

Hepatitis virus infection is one of the major problems in Korea. To establish preventive measures for hepatitis A and B virus infection, study on sero-positivity of serum anti-HAV (aHAV) and anti-HBs (aHBs) is needed. The aim of this study was to analyze the sero-positivity and related factors of aHAV and aHBs. We analysed the sero-positivity of serum aHAV and aHBs using ICA (Immunochromatography Assay) method from 102 university students and employees and questionnaire survey was obtained characteristics, vaccination history, past history test, knowledge and information sources of the study subjects. Overall sero-positivity rates of serum aHAV and aHBs were 20.6% and 52.9%, respectively. The sero-positivity rate of aHBs was significantly different by gender (M, 34.9%; F,66.1%) and that of aHAV was significantly different by age (20 age group, 2.7%; 30 age group, 14.3%; 40 age group, 70%; 50 age group, 91.7%). Overall sero-positivity rates of serum aHAV and aHBs by vaccination history rates were 4.9% and 43.1%, respectively. Overall sero-positivity rates of serum aHAV and aHBs by past history test were 10.8% and 52.9%, respectively. Sero-positivity rates of serum aHAV was low in university students. The results of this study could be used effectively as a basic data for establishing effective preventive measures for hepatitis A including vaccination.

The fruiting body of Cordyceps is derived from the pupa or larva of insects infected by the entomopathogenic fungi Cordyceps. The fruiting body has been used as an anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. The biochemical characteristics of protease isolated from Cordyceps nutans were investigated in this study. The culturing period for production of protease by C. nutans was 10days. The acidity was pH 7.0, and the temperature was $25^{\circ}C$. The carbon and nitrogen sources for the production of the protease were glucose and yeast extract, respectively. The ratio of C/N was 2% glucose and 0.6% yeast extract. 0.06% $CuSO_4$ was used as the inorganic salt. The investigation into the acidity of the protease produced by C. nutans revealed that the optimal pH and temperature were pH 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$. The stability of the protease was shown as pH 6.0~9.0 and $30{\sim}50^{\circ}C$. The investigation into the influence of the metal ions on the enzyme activation of C. nutans revealed that it was inhibited in $ZnSO_4$ and activated in $FeSO_4$.

Adiponectin is secreted specifically by adipose tissue and regulates lipid and glucose metabolism. In addition, adiponectin has been found to inhibit inflammatory process and possibly atherogenesis. This study was done to compare hematological parameters, serum lipids with serum adiponectin level according to body mass index (BMI) and gender in eighty eight Korean adults aged 40 to 68. In this study, the association between serum adiponectin and other variables including RBC counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit and albumin were investigated. RBC, hemoglobin status, was inversely associated with serum adiponectin levels in normal adult women. Adiponectin levels were significantly lower in men than women (p<0.01). In men, serum adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (p<0.05). However, no correlations were found in women. These results might imply that the regulation of key adipokines such as adiponectin might be a strategy for the prevention or treatment of obesity-associated diseases.

Cyclooxygenase(COX-2) is an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid. Over-expression of COX-2 has been reported to be associated with progressive hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatic C infection and rat liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$). Recently, it is well known that mast cell products can stimulate the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells and key players in liver fibrosis. But little is known regarding their role in $CCl_4$-induced liver fibrosis in rat. Our aim was to investigate the relation between COX-2 expression and mast cells during liver fibrosis after $CCl_4$ treatment. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into five groups (non-treated 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8-week after $CCl_4$-treatment). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA), collagen-1 and COX-2 in liver tissue from $CCl_4$-treated rats. The density of collagen and mast cells were determined using a computerized image analysis system in liver sections stained with picrosirius red and toluidine blue, respectively. The expression levels of ${\alpha}$-SMA, collagen-1 and COX-2 mRNA were significantly higher at 2 wk in $CCl_4$-treated groups than non-treated group. The number of mast cells in liver tissues increased gradually from 2 wk to 6 wk depending on the fibrosis severity but decreased abruptly at 8 wk. The significant increase of collagen-1 and ${\alpha}$-SMA mRNA expression in $CCl_4$-treated rats was continued until 6 wk while the COX-2 mRNA was significantly decreased at 8 wk. These results suggest that increased mast cells are closely associated with COX-2 over-expression during hepatic fibrogenesis of $CCl_4$-treated rats.

This study aims to analysis the curriculum problems and its improvements and to investigate curricula satisfaction among the students majoring in Clinical Pathology. A college used as a population, and 80 effective survey data were collected by sampling the graduates who carried out the clinical field training in third grade year. For statistical analysis of the collected data, the Stata(version 12.0) statistical package was used for frequency analysis, pearson correlations test and multiple regression analysis. The results of the analysis were as follows; First, the result showed that the synthetical theory curriculum has an positive effect on curricula satisfaction. Second, it was found that extension of both the clinical field training and laboratory and practice education have an significant influence direction of positiveness on curricula satisfaction. Third, as the problems of curriculum, the students selected shortage of english subjects connected with the job. We must intensify additional subjects (english ability) for job as the improvement of curriculum. Accordingly, academic, industrial circles and students are supposed to jointly seek for the plan for the enhancement of clinical field training satisfaction.