• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.497-505
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• 2002

Background : INF-${\gamma}$ plays an important role in the host response to a mycobacterial infection. A complete IFN-${\gamma}$ receptor 1 deficiency is a life threatening condition because it renders patients highly susceptible to a mycobacterial infection. Several mutations in the IFN-${\gamma}$ receptor and STAT1 gene have been identified in the rare mycobacterial infections. These mutations have partial function of the IFN-${\gamma}$ receptor and similar pathologic features to clinical tuberculosis. Materials and Methods : The function of the IFN-${\gamma}$ receptor was evaluated in the patients with clinical tuberculosis. In addition, the DNA coding sequence of the IFNgR1 and STAT1 gene was also analyzed in disseminated tuberculosis patients who might have a defective IFN-${\gamma}$ receptor. Results : The cell surface expression levels of HLA-DR and CD64 in the PMBC after being stimulation with IFN-${\gamma}$ (100IU/ml, 1000IU/ml) were increased in both controls and patients. However, the rate of increase in both groups was similar. The production of TNF-${\alpha}$ in the response to stimulation with LPS was higher in the both groups ($850.7{\pm}687.8$ vs. $836.7{\pm}564.3$ pg/ml). Pretreatment with IFN-${\gamma}$ prior to LPS stimulation resulted in further increase in TNF-${\alpha}$ production between both groups ($2203.5{\pm}242.5$ vs. $2227.5{\pm}560.4$ pg/ml). However, the rate of the increase in TNF-${\alpha}$ production in the both groups was similar. The known mutations in the IFNgR1 and STAT1 coding sequences were not found in the genomic DNA of patients with disseminated tuberculosis. Conclusion : The functional and genetic defects of the IFN-${\gamma}$ receptor were not identified in clinical tuberculosis. This suggests the defective IFN-${\gamma}$ receptor that predispoe patients to a BCG or NTM infection can not alone account for the cases of clinical tuberculosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.497-509
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• 2002

Background : The mechanisms through which cellular activation results in intracellular mycobacterial killing is only partially understood. However, in vitro studies of human immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been largely modeled on the work reported by Crowle, which is complicated by several factors. The whole blood culture is simple and allows the simultaneous analysis of the relationship between bacterial killing and the effect of effector cells and humoral factors. In this study, we attempted to determine the extent to which M. tuberculosis is killed in a human whole blood culture and to explore the role of the host and microbial factor in this process. Methods : The PPD positive subject were compared to the umbilical cord blood and patients with tuberculosis, diabetes and lung cancer. The culture is performed using heparinized whole blood diluted with a culture medium and infected with a low number of M. avium or M. tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra$ for 4 days by rotating the culture in a $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator. In some experiments, methlprednisolone- or pentoxifyline were used to inhibit the immune response. To assess the role of the T-cell subsets, CD4+, CD8+ T-cells or both were removed from the blood using magnetic beads. The ${\Delta}$ log killing ratio was defined using a CFU assay as the difference in the log number of viable organisms in the completed culture compared to the inoculum. Results : 1. A trend was noted toward the improved killing of mycobacteria in PPD+ subjects comparing to the umbilical cord blood but there was no specific difference in the patients with tuberculosis, diabetes and lung cancer. 2. Methylprednisolone and pentoxifyline adversely affected the killing in the PPD+ subjects umbilical cord blood and patients with tuberculosis. 3. The deletion of CD4+ or CD8+ T-lymphocytes adversely affected the killing of M. avium and M. tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra$ by PPD+ subjects. Deletion of both cell types had an additive effect, particularly in M. tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra$. 4. A significantly improved mycobacterial killing was noted after chemotherapy in patients with tuberculosis and the ${\Delta}$ logKR continuously decreased in a 3 and 4 days of whole blood culture. Conclusion : The in vitro bactericidal assay by human whole blood culture model was settled using a CFU assay. However, the host immunity to M. tuberculosis was not apparent in the human whole blood culture bactericidal assay, and patients with tuberculosis showed markedly improved bacterial killing after anti-tuberculous chemotherapy compared to before. The simplicity of a whole blood culture facilitates its inclusion in a clinical trial and it may have a potential role as a surrogate marker in a TB vaccine trial.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2008

Objectives : Trimellitic anhydride (TMA), a sensitizer that induces occupational asthma and atopic dermatitis, is widely used industrially to make epoxy and alkyd resins, plasticizers, high temperature polymer, and surfactants. The aim of this study was to investigative the effects of aqueous extracts of Lonicera japonica Flower(LJFAE) on TMA-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in Balb/c mice. Methods : The dried flowers of L. japonica were extracted with distilled water at $100^{\circ}C$ for 7 h. The extract was freeze-dried following filteration through 0.45 ${\mu}m$ filter. Mice were orally administrated with or without LJFE of a different doses(25-100 mg/kg) for 28 days. In the challenge period, mice were externally applied at difference doses of LJFAE one time per day 30 min before TMA treatment. We examined the effects of LJFAE on the the serum levels of IgE and prostagladin E2 (PGE2), the Thl/Th2 cytokine production of spleen cells, ear swelling responses, and the leukocyte infiltration induced by TMA. Results : The orally and externally administration of LJFAE dose-dependently reduced the serum levels of IgE and PGE2 production as well as ear swelling responses and leukocyte infiltration in TMA-induced Balb/c mice. Furthermore, the levels of Thl (TNF-${\alpha}$, IFN-${\gammer}$, IL-2)/Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) cytokine production from spleen cells stimulated with anti-CD3 and CD28 mAbs was markedly suppressed by the orally and externally treatment with LJFAE in a concentration dependent manner. Conclusions : These results suggest that LJFAE suppresses the inflammatory mediators and regulates the Thl/Th2 cytokines. Therefore, these properties may contribute to the strong anti-CHS response effect of LJFAE.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.428-438
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• 2014

Objectives: Obesity is an important cause of insulin resistance that leads to obese type 2 diabetes. Recently it has been found that obesity is associated with adipose tissue accumulation which causes systemic inflammation. In this study, we investigated effects of Inula helenium on the inflammation in high fat diet-induced insulin resistance mouse. Methods: Insulin resistance was induced in C57BL/6 male mice (19~21 g) on a 60% fat diet. Mice were divided into 3 groups (n=6) of normal, control and Inula helenium. After 12 weeks, body weight, FBS, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), serum level of insulin, epididymal fat pad, liver weight and the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, interleukin (IL)-10 and cluster of differentiation (CD) 68 were measured. Also, adipose tissue macrophage was analyzed by fluorescence activated cell sorting. Results: Inula helenium significantly reduces oral glucose tolerance levels, insulin serum level and adipose tissue macrophage. Also Inula helenium increased IL-10 gene expression and decreased CD68 gene expression. Conclusions: These results show that Inula helenium has anti-insulin resistance and anti-inflammatory effects on a high fat diet-induced insulin resistance mouse model.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.578-584
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• 1990

A microorganism capable of producing high level of extracelluar cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase(EC 2.4.1.19; CGTase) was isolated ’rom soil. The isolated strain No. 239 was identified as Bacillusstearothermophilus. The maximal CGTase production (about 7.0 unitslml) was observed in medium containing2% soluble starch, 0.5% defatted soybean meal, 0.1% NaH_2PO_4.2H_2O$ and 0.015% $ CaC_l2 $ with initial pH 7.0. The strain was cultured at $55^{\circ}C$ for 48 hr with reciprocal shaking. At 0.83% substrated concentration potato starch was the optimum substrate with 50.1% conversion to cyciodextrin (CD)after the reaction at $65^{\circ}C$ for 24 hr (CGTase 10 unitlg starch). Using soluble starch as substrate (5% substrate concentration, CGTase 10 unitlg starch), the maximum conversion of 40% was obtained at11 hr reaction, and the ratio of $\alpha-, \beta-$ and $\gamma$-CD production at this time were 1.0:1.3:0.4, respectively., respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1051-1058
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• 2014

Platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) plays an important role in bacterial infection and inflammation. We examined the effect of the bacterial cell wall components lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from Lactobacillus plantarum (pLTA) and Staphylococcus aureus (aLTA) on PAFR expression in THP-1, a monocyte-like cell line. LPS and aLTA, but not pLTA, significantly increased PAFR expression, whereas priming with pLTA inhibited LPS-mediated or aLTA-mediated PAFR expression. Expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and 4, and CD14 increased with LPS and aLTA treatments, but was inhibited by pLTA pretreatment. Neutralizing antibodies against TLR2, TLR4, and CD14 showed that these receptors were important in LPS-mediated or aLTA-mediated PAFR expression. PAFR expression is mainly regulated by the nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway. Blocking PAF binding to PAFR using a PAFR inhibitor indicated that LPS-mediated or aLTA-mediated PAF expression affected TNF-${\alpha}$ production. In the mouse small intestine, pLTA inhibited PAFR, TLR2, and TLR4 expression that was induced by heat-labile toxin. Our data suggested that pLTA has an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the expression of PAFR that was induced by pathogenic ligands.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.57-63
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• 2017

Xenotransplantation is proposed as a solution to the problem of organ shortage. However, transplantation of xenogeneic organs induces an antigen-antibody reaction in ${\alpha}$-1,3-gal structure that are not present in humans and primates, and thus complement is also activated and organs die within minutes or hours. In this study, we used FasL gene, which is involved in the immune response of NK cell, and US11, which suppresses MHC Class I cell membrane surface expression, to inhibit cell mediated rejection in the interspecific immunity rejection, and also hDAF(CD55) was introduced to confirm the response to C3 complement. These genes were tranfeced into Korean native pig fetal fibroblasts using pCAGGS vector. And cytotoxicity of NK cell and human complement was confirmed in each cell line. The US11 inhibited the cytotoxicity of NK cell and, in addition, the simultaneous expression of US11 and Fas ligand showed excellent suppress to T-lymphocyte cytotoxicity, hDAF showed weak resistance to cytotoxicity of natural killer cell but not in CD8+ CTLs. Cytotoxicity study with human complement showed that hDAF was effective for reducing complement reaction. In this studies have demonstrated that each gene is effective in reducing immune rejection.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 1981

This study is to investigate the effective mineralizer in the manufacture of forsterite porcelain as a high frequency insulator. A mixture of $Mg(OH)_2$. and $SiO_2$.($\alpha$-Quartz) corresponding to the molar ratio of 2.0 MgO: 1.0 $SiO_2$ was prepared from the materials of high purity. It was heated to 140$0^{\circ}C$ at the rate of 20$0^{\circ}C$/hr, which was kept constantly for 1 hour, and one has made chamotte after cooling. Six kinds of glasses were prepared by an 0.1 atomic equivalent of K ions substitution-Ba, Bi, Zn, Cd, Zr-to the basic K-glass (0.333 $K_2O$.1.14 $SiO_2$) and were melted approximately at 150$0^{\circ}C$. The forsterite bodies were provided by adding each glass (10, 15, 20, 25, 30%) to the forsterite chamotte, which was fired at 1320, 1360, 1400, 144$0^{\circ}C$. (1 hr). One has examined the physical and dielectric properties for the specimens. The results of the experiments are as follows; 1. As for water absorption: Bodies were better vitrified with an addition and temperature change of Ba, Bi, Zn-glasses. The specimen containing Cd-glass showed deviation of slow decreasing, where as K-glass was completely not vitrified. 2. Bodies containing Ba, Zn, Bi-glasses appeared comparatively high Modulus of Rupture at 136$0^{\circ}C$, while containing Zr-glass had the highest Modulus of Rupture as the addition changes remarkably at 140$0^{\circ}C$. 3. It was estimated that 20-25% glass present in a forsterite bodies were in good conditions as for physical properties. 4. Specimens of Ba, Bi, Zr-glasses were superior as for dielectric properties, where among Ba-glass was most excellent. 5. Dielectric constant commonly increases in a slight gradient as firing temperature rises. 6. The petrographic examination showed that the bodies containing Ba, Bi-glasses had fine crystals, and were observed distinctly large mosaic crystals in the Zn-glass.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.239-251
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of education for prevention of child sexual abuse (rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment etc.) of children in elementary school students. Incidences of sexual abuse in Korea is ranked 3rd in the world. Sexual abuse of children, particularly, is one of the most serious crimes that affect both the victimized children and their family. The issue related to sexual abuse of children has been ignored, and there is a lack of systematic education to prevent sexual abuse of children either for children or their parents. Furthermore, lack of knowledge and poor attitude of teachers limit their capability to provide education for sexual abuse prevention to the children. The education for teachers may change their knowledge of the sexual abuse and their attitude toward it and improve their capability in helping children. 223 Korean elementary school students participated in this study. Research design was One group pretest-posttest design. The education given to the subjects included 4 hours through the multimedia CD-ROM on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The education program was developed based on a survey. School- aged- children, parents, and teachers were interviewed to reveal their educational needs based on their experiences related to sexual abuse. This program includes such as safety education, crisis management, resource person(s), and phone numbers of available hospital. Data was collected before, during and after the education was given to the subjects, to assess their knowledge and attitude toward child sexual abuse. Two instruments were used in this study. Using Cronbach's ALPHA validity and reliability of 2 instruments were tested. The analysis of the data was done with Window SPSS 10.0 for descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA. The results of this analysis were as follows : 1. After education, the score of school nurses knowledge was higher than before(t= -4.677, p=0.000). 2. After education, the score of school nurses attitude was not higher than before (t=0.131, p=0.896). The findings from this study will provide an intervention strategy for prevention of sexual abuse in children.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.209-219
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• 2006

Toxoplasma gondii has been shown to result in life-threatening encephalitis in immunocompromised patients after reactivation of dormant parasites. In order to obtain information on immune responses related to this phenomenon, BALB/c mice were infected with 25 cysts of the 76K strain of T. gondii, then, treated orally with dexamethasone (Toxo/Dexa-treated group) in order to reactivate the chronic toxoplasmosis. None of the T. gondii-infected mice died during the experimental periods, whereas the Toxo/Dexa-treated mice evidenced a significant attenuation of survival periods. Toxoplasma-specific IgG2a, IgA and IgM titers in sera were significantly depressed in the Toxo/Dexa-treated mice; however, the IgG1 sera titers were similar to those seen in the Toxoplasma-infected mice. The percentages of CD4+ and $CD8\alpha+$ T cells in the Toxo/Dexa-treated mice were significantly reduced 2 weeks after dexamethasone treatment. $IFN-\gamma$ and IL-10 production levels in the Toxo/Dexa-treated mice were depressed significantly, whereas IL-4 production was increased temporarily. The expression levels of the Toxoplasma-specific P30 and B1 genes were found to have been increased in the Toxo/Dexa-treated mice in comparison with the Toxoplasma-infected mice. Collectively, the findings of this study demonstrate that reactivation of murine toxoplasmosis as the result of dexamethasone treatment induced a depression in Th1 immune responses, whereas Th2 immune responses were not significantly influenced.