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The Distribution of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T Cells in Tuberculous Lymphadenopathy (결핵성 림프절에서 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구의 분포에 관한 연구)

  • Shim, Tae-Sun;Yoo, Chul-Gyu;Kim, Young-Whan;Han, Sung-Koo;Shim, Young-Soo;Kim, Keun-Youl;Han, Yong-Chol
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.41 no.5
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    • pp.484-488
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    • 1994
  • Background : The antigen-specific receptor on the surface of most peripheral T lymphocytes is a disulfide-linked heterodimer composed of $\alpha$ and $\gamma$ subunits, noncovalently associated with CD3 polypeptides. Recently, a novel type of CD3-associated heterodimer was described on a T cell subset that does not express CD4 or CD8 molecules. This second type of TCR dimer is composed of chains encoded for by the $\gamma$- and $\delta$-TCR genes. These cells may exert both cytotoxic and lymphokine producing functions. Although it was reported that some ${\gamma}{\delta}$-TCR might recognize an MHC-linked determinant, the funεtion or physiologic ligand for this new receptor is not yet clear. It was found that ${\gamma}{\delta}$-TCR can react with 65 kD heat shock protein of M. tuberculosis, which suggests the possible protective role of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T lymphocytes against tuberculosis. In our previous study, there was neither the increase in number nor the functional activation of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in the peripheral blood from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Now we report the distribution of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in the regional sites of M. tuberculosis infection, especial1y tuberculous lymphadenitis. Methods : Lymph nodes from patients with pathologically-proven tuberculous lymphadenopathy (n=5) and reactive hyperplasia (n=3) were used. Tissues were frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after removal and stored below $-70^{\circ}C$. The cryostat sections of these frozen specimens were stained with anti-Leu-4 Ab, Identi-T TCR ${\delta}1$, and Identi-T ${\beta}F1$. The number of positively stained cells were counted at high power field. Results : The infiltration of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells was significantly higher in the lymph nodes from patients with tuberculous lymphadenopathy than that with reactive hyperplasia ($16.3{\pm}10.3%$ vs. $1.7{\pm}1.5%$). Conclusion : These results suggest that ${\gamma}{\delta}$) T cells may play a role in the defense against M. tuberculosis infection, especially in the regional sites of infection.

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Study of Hedyotis Diffusa Methanol Extract on Anti-tumoral Effect and Mechanism (백화사설초(白花蛇舌草) 메탄올 추출물(抽出物)의 항종양(抗腫瘍) 효과(效果) 및 항암(抗癌) 기전(機轉)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

  • No, Hoon-Jeong;Moon, Gu;Moon, Seok-Jae;Won, Jin-Hee;Moon, Young-Ho;Park, Rae-Gil
    • THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.81-97
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    • 2000
  • Objectives: This experimental study was carried out to evaluate the effects of aqueous and methanol extracts of Hedyotis diffusa which has long been used for cancer treatment in oriental medicines on the induction of apoptotic cell death in human lymphoid leukemia cell line, HL-60. Methods: Cells were treated with various concentrations (200 to $0.4{\mu}g$) and periods (6 to 30 hr) of $H_2O$ and methanol extracts of Hedyotis diffusa. Then, cells were tested for viability by MTT assay. Cells wrere treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of methanol extract fork various periods. Genomic DNA was isolated, separated, on 1.5% agarose gels, stained with ethidium bromide and visualized under UV light. Cells were treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of each extract for 16 hr. Then, cells were treated with Hoechst dye 33342 and observed by fluorescence microscopy. Cells were treated with various doses of each for 12 hr and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of methanol extract for various periods. Lysate from the cells used to measure the activity of Caspase-1 and-3 proteases by using fluorogenic peptide substrates including acetyl-YVAD-AMC and acetyl-DEVD-AMC, respectively. Cells were treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of each extract for various periods. Cell lysates were immunoprecipated with anti-JNKl antibodies. The immune complex was reacted with $32^p-ATP$ and c-Jun as a substrate. The phosphotransferase activity of JNKI was measured by using PhosphoImage analyzer (Fuji Co., Japan). Nuclear extracts were isolated and incubated with oligonucleotide probe of $NF-{\kappa}B$. Transcriptional activation of ${\kappa}B$ was measured by using EMSA and visualized by PhosphoImage analyzer (Fuji Co, Japan). Cell lysates were prepared and analyzed by Western blotting with anti-Bc12 antibodies and anti-Bax antibodies. Cells were pretreated with various doses of methanol extract for 2 hr. Then, the extract was removed by centrifugation. Cells were resuspended with RPMI-1640 media containing 0.3% agarose, 10% FBS, overlayred onto bottom layer agarose and incubated at $CO_2$ incubator for 6 days. The number of colony was counted under light microscopy ($\time100$). Results: The death of HL-60 cells was markedly induced by the addition of methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa in a dose and time-dependent manners. The apoptotic characteristic ladder pattern of DNA strand break was observed in death of HL-60 cells. In addition, it was shown nucleus chromatin condensation and fragmentation under Hoechst staining. Therefore, Hedyotis diffusa extract-induced death of HL-60 cells is mediated by apoptotic signaling processes. The activity of Caspase 3-like proteases remained in a basal level in HL-60 cells treated with aqueous extract of Hedyotis diffusa. However, it was markedly increased in HL-60 cells treated with methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. In addition, the phosphotransferase activity of JNKl was increased in HL-60 cells treated with methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. Furthermore, the activation of transcriptional activator, $NF-{\kappa}B$ was markedly induced by methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. Anti-apoptotic Bc12 was cleaved into 23Kda fragment by treatment of methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. However, expression of proapoptotic Bax protein was increased by treatment of methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, methanol extract markedly inhibited the colony forming efficiency of HL-60 cells in semisolid agar culture. Conclusions: Above results suggest that methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa induces the apoptotic death of human leukemic HL-60 cells via activations of Caspase-3 proteases, JNKI, transcriptional activator $NF-{\kappa}B$, In addition, our results also suggest that methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa reduces the malignant potential of HL-60 cells via down regulation of colony forming effciency through cleavage of Bc12 as well as induction of Bax.

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A Study of Correlation among the Knowledge of the Disease, Health Promoting Behaviors and the Quality of Life in the Female Patients with Osteoporosis (여성 골다공증환자의 골다공증에 대한 지식, 건강증진행위 및 삶의 질과의 관계 연구)

  • Lee, Hye-Young
    • Journal of muscle and joint health
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.65-85
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    • 2001
  • Osteoporosis is the disease that is the most controversial issue with the aging tendency in 1990. It is an important issue in dealing with the health management for women in middle life. This study is designed to determine the relationships among the level of the knowledge of osteoporosis, the health promoting behaviors and the quality of life. The test has conducted a questionnaire survey of women with osteoporosis. This is a study that focused an interrelation of above issues and its purpose is to gain a foundation of a nursing intervention that can help to improve the qualify of life of an osteoporosis patients. The method of collecting data is collecting a questionnaire survey, individual interviews and records and the collected 123 questionnaire surveys are utilized for an data analysis. Questionnaire surveys are conducted in K and S Universities infirmaries and K general hospital in Seoul and C and J general hospital in near Seoul area from Sep. 27th to Nov. 4th, 2000. The instruments of this study were as follows: Yoon's used the revised and supplemented instrument to test the level of the knowledge of osteoporosis and she referred to the substance of Cassells & Knotz. Lee's revised and supplemented the instrument called Health Promoting Life style Profile that were invented by Walker, Sechrist & Pender and she used it to test the health promoting behaviors with the questionnaires added by this researcher. They are not related to the quality of life but relevant to the patients. Ro's tested the quality of life with the instrument that was invented by herself. The results of this study were as follows. 1. The general characteristics of this study subjects showed that the age of the patients was concentrated from 50 to 59. The periods after menopause was mainly from 6 to 10 years. Subjective symptoms that patients usually complain were musculoskelectal symptoms. 2. The results of measuring the level of the knowledge of osteoporosis, the health promoting behaviors and the quality of life were following. The level of the knowledge was the score 19.83 and it was above middle score out of the score 27 as full marks. In the result of the health promoting behaviors test, the score average was 2.58 with 4 point rating scale and it was about middle score. The quality of life test showed that average score was 2.92 with 5 point rating scale and it indicated that the quality was also around middle score. 3. The statistical test in the activities for promoting health according to the general characteristics of the patients showed that only monthly income has statistically significant difference(F-4.761, p=.004). The same test for the qualify of life indicated that the quality of life was higher from 1 to 5 years after menopause but it was not meaningful statistically. 4. In the correlation among the level of knowledge of osteoporosis, the health promoting behaviors and the qualify of life of the patients, showed a relationship between the health promoting behaviors and the qualify of life. The higher the health promoting behaviors, it was also higher the quality of life. But it was statistically significant with significant positive correlation.

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A Study on the Administrative Enhancement for Health Center Activities (보건소(保健所) 행정(行政)의 기선을 위(爲)한 연구(硏究))

  • Moon, Ok-Ryun
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.97-110
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    • 1970
  • This survey was conducted to evaluate not only the present status of health center directors-their personal histories, their will to private practice in the future, their responses to governmental policies, -but also the distribution of doctorless myons, budget and subsidy, and director's opinions to the enhancement of health center activities. This survey questioned 116 health center directors and 16 health personnel from August to October of 1970 and obtained the following results; 1) The average ages of directors of kun, city, and total health centers were $43.2{\pm}7.8,\;42.1{\pm}7.7,\;and\;42.9{\pm}10.3$ respectively. 2) The average family sizes of directors of kun, city, and total health centers were $5.6{\pm}2.7,\;5.6{\pm}2.1,\;and\;5.6{\pm}2.6$ respectively. 3) Directors holding M. D. degrees were 79.3%, those holding qualified M. D. degrees ('approved director') were 20.7%. 4) M. P. H., M. S., and Ph. D. holders were 6.0%, 6.1%, and 4.3% respectively. 5) The average duration of present directorship in kun and city were 30.2 months and 20.4 months respectively. 6) The majority of directors had been employed in related fields before assuming current position : directorship at other health center 26.7%, army 22.4%, health subcenter 21.6%, private practice 19.0%. 7) Average length of directorship is 41.8 months. Average length of public health career, including health subcenter and present position, is 56.5 months. 8) Both rural and urban experience in health centers for regular directors is 16.3% and for approved directors, 12,5%. A total of 15.5% of all survey directors had experience in both rural and urban health center. 9) A total of 70.7% of health center directorships were staffed by local doctors. 10) Nearly 40% wanted to quit the directorships within 3 years and 60.3% had already experienced private practice. 11) Of the regular directors 17.4% felt strongly about devoting their lives to public health fields, but only 4.1% of the approved approved directors felt so. 12) There wire 432 doctorless myons among 996 respondent myons and 4.5 doctorless myons per kun. 13) The percentage of doctorless myon by Province are as follows, Cholla buk-do 57.2%, Cholla nam-de 55.0%, Kyungsang nam-do 52.0%, Kyungsang buk-do 49.7%, Chungchong but-do 42.4%, Kyonggi-do 32.9%. Cheju-do 30.8%, Kangwon-do 25.8%. 14) Two thirds of health critters have experienced the abscence of the director for a certain period since 1966 and the average span of the abscence was 18.2 months. 15) The percentage of doctorless myons increased proportionally with the span of the director's abscence. 16) The average budgets of health centers, kun, city and ku, were $W15.03\;million{\pm}W4.5\;million,\;W22.03\;million{\pm}W17.80\;million,\;W13.10\;million{\pm}W7.9\;million$ respectively. 17) Chunju city had the highest health budget per capita(W344) while Pusan Seo ku had the lowest(W19). 18) Director's medical subsidies are W30,000-50,000 in kun, and roughly W20,000 in city. 19) The older of priority in health center activities is T.B. control(31.1%), Family Planning and M. C. H.(28.0%), prevention of acute communicable disease and endemic disease (18.2%) and clinical care of patients(14.3%). 20) Nearly 32% opposed in principle the governmental policy of prohibiting medical doctors from going abroad. 21) Suggestions for immediate enhancing the position of director of health centers and subcenters: (1) Raise the base subsidy (48.2%), (2) Provide more opportunities for promotion (20.7%), (3) Exemption from army services(12.1%), (4) Full scholarship to medical students for this purpose only (7.8%). 22) A newly established medical school was opposed by 56.9% of the directors, however 33.6% of them approved. 23) Pertaining to the division of labor in Medicine and Pharmacy, the largest portion (31.9%) urged the immediate partial division of antibiotics and some addictive drugs to be given only by prescription. 24) More than half wanted a W70,000 level for the director's medical subsidies, white 36.2% stated W50,000. 25) Urgently needed skills in the kun are clinical pathologist (38.6%) and doctor (health center director) (25.5%); while in the city nurse (37.1%), doctors(clinical)(31.4%) and health educators(14.4%) are needed. 26) Essential treatment for the better health center administration; raising the base subsidy (22.7%), obtaining the power of personal management (19.3%) and the establishment of a Board of Health (14.3%). etc.

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Effect of Dietary Probiotics Supplementation Contained with Astaxanthin Produced by Phaffia rhodozyma on the Productivity and Meat Quality of Ducks (Astaxanthin을 생성하는 Phaffia rhodozyma를 포함한 미생물제제의 급여가 오리의 성장과 육질에 미치는 영향)

  • Kim K. S.;Lee J. H.;Shin M. S.;Cho M. S.;Kim Y. P.;Cho S. K.;Kang Y. J.
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.32 no.2
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    • pp.73-80
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    • 2005
  • This study was carried out to investigate the influence of dietary probiotics supplementation contained with astaxanthin synthesizing microorganism 'Phaffia rhodozyma' on the productivity and meat quality of ducks. Growth performance carried out during 45 days for day-old ducks offered in Joowonori incorporated. A total of 150 day-old ducks(cheribery) of mixed sex(M:F=1:1) were allotted into 5 groups. The basal diets were added with low levels of astaxanthin containing probiotics. We investigated mortality, bodyweight, and feed conversion used by growth performance. 45day-old ducks were butchered and carried out nutrients composition analysis, meat quality test, organoleptic examination, fatty acid analysis, cholesterol analysis, storage test, and astaxanthin concentration analysis. Control showed $3.7\%$ mortality and treatments showed $0\%$ mortality. These results showed improvement of immunity, for influence of dietary probiotics supplementation contained with astaxanthin. The control gained 2.68 kg and treatment gained 2.84 kg. The control was 2.15 and treatment was 1.83 for feed conversion. Treatment was increased feed conversion than control as significantly. The results of meat quality test showed that treatment was tender and taste more than control. The results of nutrients composition analysis showed that treatment was produced low fat and high protein meat. Ducks meat of treatments contained higher unsaturated fatty acid and lower cholesterol than control. The case of carotenoids confirmed that astaxanthin and $\beta-carotein$ were accumulated in duck meat.

Effects of Supplementary $Safmannan^(R)$(Beta-Glucan & MOS) and $World-Labs^(R)$ (Multiple Probiotics) on the Performance, Nutrient Availability Small Intestinal Microflora and Immune Response in Broiler Chicks (Beta-Glucan과 MOS의 복합제($Safmannan^(R)$)와 복합 생균제($World-Labs^(R)$)가 육계의 생산성과 영양소 이용율 소장내 미생물 균총 및 면역 체계에 미치는 영향)

  • Woo K.C.;Jung B.Y.;Lee M.K.;Paik I.K.
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.33 no.2
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    • pp.151-158
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    • 2006
  • In order to study the effects of supplementary $Safmannan^(R)$(Beta-glucan & MOS complex) and $World-Labs^(R)$ (multiple probiotics) on the performance, nutrient availability, small intestinal microflora and immune response in broiler chicks, one thousand hatched broilers ($Ross^(R)$ were assigned to 4 treatments: control(basal diet), $BMD^(R),\;Safmannan^(R)\;and\;World-Labs^(R)$. There were no significant differences in the performance and in serum IgG, ND titre. However parameters of leukocytes and erythrocytes were significantly different among treatments (p<0.05). Leukocytes and RBC of $World-Labs^(R)\;and\;Safmannan^(R)$ were mostly lower than $BMD^(R)$ and control whereby MCH and MCHC of $World-Labs^(R)\;and\;Safmannan^(R)$ were higher than other treatments. The cfu of intestinal microflora had no significant differences among treatments. The $BMD^(R)$ treatment was higher than others in amino acid and crude fat availability and $World-Labs^(R)$ was higher than others in crude fiber availability. It was concluded that supplements used in the present experiment did not significantly affect the production parameters. However, significant impact on blood parameters, especially on leucocytes, may need further investigation.

A Case of Kabuki Syndrome Confirmed by Genetic Analysis: A Novel Frameshift Mutation in the KMT2D Gene (분자유전학적으로 진단된 가부키 증후군 1례)

  • Park, Su Jin;Ahn, Moon Bae;Jang, Woori;Cho, Won Kyung;Chae, Hyo Jin;Kim, Myung Shin;Suh, Byung Kyu
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.103-108
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    • 2017
  • Kabuki syndrome is a rare congenital disorder that causes multiple birth defects and mental retardation. Mutation of the lysine methyltransferase 2D (KMT2D) gene is the primary cause of Kabuki syndrome. We report a 4-year-old Korean girl diagnosed with Kabuki syndrome based on distinctive facial features (eversion of the lower lateral eyelid, arched eyebrows, depressed nasal tip, prominent ears), skeletal anomalies, short stature, and molecular analysis, which revealed a novel frameshift mutation in the KMT2D gene. A 4-year-old patient had a past history of congenital cardiac malformations (coarctation of the aorta, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus), subclinical hypothyroidism and dysmorphic features at birth including webbed neck, short fingers, high arched palate, micrognathia and horseshoe kidney. She showed unique facial features such as a long palpebral fissure, long eyelashes, arched eyebrows with sparseness of the lateral third, broad nasal root, anteverted ears, and small mouth. Her facial features suggested Kabuki syndrome, and genetic analysis discovered a novel heterozygous frameshift mutation (c.4379dup, p.Leu1461Thrfs*30) in exon 15 of the KMT2D gene. The diagnosis of our 4-year-old patient was made through thorough physical examination and history taking, and genetic testing. It is challenging to diagnose patients with Kabuki syndrome at birth, since the characteristic facial features are expressed gradually during growth. Clinical suspicion aroused by regular follow-ups may lead to earlier diagnosis and interventions.

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Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances Levels in Brain Tissue of Aldh2 Knockout Mice Following Ethanol Exposure for 8 Weeks (Aldh2 knockout 마우스에서 8주간 에탄올 노출에 따른 뇌조직의 thiobarbituric acid reactive substances 농도)

  • Moon, Sun-In;Eom, Sang-Yong;Kim, Jung-Hyun;Yim, Dong-Hyuk;Kim, Hyong-Kyu;Kim, Yong-Dae;Kim, Heon
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.21 no.8
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    • pp.1163-1167
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    • 2011
  • Excessive alcohol consumption causes various degenerative brain diseases including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Absorbed ethanol is metabolized to acetaldehyde and acetic acid by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Acetaldehyde is well known as a toxicant through generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, ALDH2 activity may play important roles in the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced brain diseases. In this study, we demonstrated the effects of ALDH2 enzyme activity on lipid peroxidation in brain tissues and urine of mice exposed to ethanol for 8 weeks. Five male, 8-week old Aldh2 (+/+) and Aldh2 (-/-) mice (C57BL/6J strain) in each group were exposed to ethanol for 8 weeks (2 g/kg wt./day) using gavage, and those in the control group received 0.9% saline alone. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, a marker for lipid peroxidation, was measured in whole brain tissue and urine by high performance liquid chromatography. As a result, chronic ethanol treatment did not show any statistical change on the TBARS level of brain tissue in both Aldh2 (+/+) mice and in Aldh2 (-/-) mice. However, following ethanol exposure for 8 weeks in Aldh2 (-/-) mice, the urinary TBARS levels were significantly increased to more than double compared to the pretreatment group. This result was not observed in Aldh2 (+/+) mice. These results suggest that although ALDH2 enzyme activity plays a role in the generation of ROS in the whole body, it does not seem to be important in the pathogenesis of alcohol induced degenerative brain diseases.

Consumption and Preference for Bokbunja (Rubus coreanus Miquel) Products (복분자 제품에 대한 기호도 및 이용실태 조사)

  • Lee, Jeong-Ae;Park, Geum-Soon
    • Korean journal of food and cookery science
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    • v.27 no.3
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    • pp.11-20
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the use and perception of adults concerning bokbunja (Rubus coreanus Miquel) products. Self-administered questionnaires were collected from 502 residents in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk area. According to the survey more females in their 20s responded than males (45.2 and 54.8%, respectively). In total, 82.6% of respondents had an income of under 4,000,000 won per month and most were living in the city. The results regarding knowledge about bokbunja products showed that the bokbunja wine score was highest (3.66), and intake frequency showed that over half of the respondents had never eaten bokbunja products. The preference for bokbunja wine by males was higher than that for females, whereas the others products showed higher scores for females than for males. When asked about how they knew about bokbunja products, 37.0% of males and 46.9% of females responded a family member or neighbor. When purchasing bokbunja products, males and females answered that they considered taste, country of origin, and manufacturer, and price. Approximately 48% of the respondents answered that they purchased bokbunja products in the grocery and department store. As a result, popularization of bokbunja products was based on product development and sales promotion, and the product development factor significantly influenced preference for bokbunja products.

Establishment of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell-like Cells from In Vitro Fertilized Embryos (체외수정 생쥐 배아에서의 배아 줄기세포 확립)

  • Shin, Yong-Moon;Park, Yong-Bin;Kim, Hee-Sun;Oh, Sun-Kyung;Chun, Dae-Woo;Suh, Chang-Suk;Choe, Young-Min;Kim, Jung-Gu;Lee, Jin-Yong;Kim, Seok-Hyun
    • Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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    • v.29 no.1
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    • pp.1-12
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    • 2002
  • Objective: In order to acquire the technique for the establishment of human embryonic stem cells (ESe) derived from the human frozen-thawed embryos produced in IVF-ET program, this study was performed to establish mouse ESC derived from the in vitro fertilized embryos. Materials and Methods: After Fl hybrid (C57BL female $\times$ CBA mael) female mice were superovulated with PMSG and hCG treatment, their oocytes were retrieved and inseminated, and the fertilized embryos were cultured for 96-120 hours until the expected stages of blastocysts were obtained. To isolate the inner cell mass (ICM), either the blastocysts were treated with immunosurgery, or the whole embryos were cultured for 4 days. Isolated ICMs were then cultured onto STO feeder cell layer, and the resultant ICM colonies were subcultured with trypsin-EDTA treatment. During the subculture process, ESC-like cell colonies were observed with phase contrast microscopy. To identify ESC in the subcultured ESC-like cell colonies, alkaline phosphatase activity and Oct-4 (octamer-binding transcription factor-4) expression were examined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively. To examine the spontaneous differentiation, ESC-like cell colonies were cultured without STO feeder cell layer and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Results: Seven ESC-like cell lines were established from ICMs isolated from the in vitro fertilized embryos. According to the developmental stage, the growth of ICMs isolated from the expanded blastocysts was significantly better than that of ICMs isolated from the hatched blastocysts (80.3% vs. 58.7%, p<0.05). ESC-like cell colonies were only obtained from ICMs of expanded blastocysts. However, the ICMs isolated from the embryos treated with immunosurgery were poorly grown and frequently differentiated during the culture process. The established ESC-like cell colonies were positively stained with alkaline phosphatase and expressed Oct-4, and their morphology resembled that observed in the previously reported mouse ESC. In addition, following the extended in vitro culture process, they maintained their expression of cell surface markers characteristic of the pluripotent stem cells such as alkaline phosphatase and Oct-4. When cultured without STO feeder cell layer and LIF, they were spontaneously differentiated into the various types of cells. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the establishment of mouse ESC can be successfully derived from the in vitro fertilized embryos. The established ESC-like cells expressed the cell surface markers characteristic of the pluripotent stem cells and spontaneously differentiated into the various types of cells.