• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.839-844
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• 1996

This study was designed to investigated the effects of cadmium(Cd) feeding on the humoral immune responses such as PFC-responses and production of immunoglobulins in BALB/c mice. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. Total PFCs of direct IgM antibody response were significantly decreased in all Cd-fed goups, whereas total PFCs of IgG antibody response were slightly increased. 2. In secondary immunization, total HA titers were increased in all Cd groups as compared with control, especially in 100ppmm group and also IgG titers were slightly increased except for 50ppm group. 3. The levels of $IgG_1$ were increased to 5.5% 18.7%, 17.4% and 7.2% in 25, 50, 100 and 200ppm groups as compared with control, respectively. And also the levels of IgE were increased to 5.7%, 7.3%, 8.7% and 0.4% in those of Cd groups, in order. Conclusively, concentrations of $IgG_1$, and IgE were increased in all Cd groups. Based on the results of this study and previous report, it was shown that Cd might affect humoral immune responses by modifying the distribution and function of cells playing in the cellular immune response.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.588-595
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• 2018

This study has focused on evaluation of heavy metal contamination in seepage from 23 mine waste dumping sites in Korea. Seepage samples from the sites were taken and analyzed for heavy metals. The maximum levels (mg/L) in the samples were Al 53.98, As 16.19, Cd 1.15 Cu 37.30, Fe 28.64, Mn 39.00, Ni 0.097, Pb 0.750, and Zn 80.18. Among the sites, six mines were selected as continuous monitoring sites. As results of three months' monitoring of the sites, over the water guidelines for As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and Al in seepage samples were found at two abandoned Au-Ag mines, Cd, Mn, Zn and Al at two Pb-Zn mines, and As, Fe and Mn at two other Fe-W mines. Therefore, those six mines need continuous monitoring on contamination assessment of seepage due to mining activities.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.130-136
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• 2008

Background: Human cytomegalovirus UL18, a MHC class I homologue, has been considered a natural killer (NK) cell decoy. It ligates LIR-1/ILT2 (CD85j), an NK inhibitory receptor, to prevent lysis of infected target cells. However, precise role of UL18 to NK cell cytotoxicity is yet elusive. Difficulty in clarifying the function of UL18 lies in complication in detecting UL18 mainly due to low level expression of UL18 on the surface and gradual loss of its expression. Methods: To overcome this hurdle, cDNA of cytoplasmic tail-less UL18 was constructed and expressed in swine endothelial cell (SEC). The expression level and its stability in the cell surface were monitored with FACS analysis. Results: Surface expression of UL18 is up-regulated by removing cytoplasmic tail portion from UL18F (a full sequence of UL18). SECs transfected with a cDNA of UL18CY (a cytoplasmic tail-less UL18) stably expressed UL18 molecule on the surface without gradual loss of its expression during 6 week continuous cultures. In the NK cytotoxicity assay, UL18 functions either inhibiting or activating NK cell cytotoxicity according to the source of NK cells. We found that there is individual susceptibility in determining whether the engagement of NK cell and UL18 results in overall inhibiting or activating NK cell cytotoxicity. Conclusion: In this study, we found that cytoplasmic tail is closely related to the regulatory function for controlling surface expression of UL18. Furthermore, by constructing stable cell line in which UL18 expression is up-regulated and stable, we provided a useful tool to clarify exact functions of UL18 on various immune cells having ILT2 receptor.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.118-125
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• 2018

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), but the genes associated with the host immune system can be attributed to the development of TB. The ITGB2 gene encodes the integrin beta 2 chain CD18 protein and is present on chromosome 21. The integrin beta 2 chain is an integrin expressed in leukocytes and plays a very important role in leukocyte maturation and attachment. ITGB2 plays an important role in the phagocytosis of MTB and the aggregation of leukocytes in MTB infections. This study examined the genetic polymorphisms of the ITGB2 gene between the TB case and normal control using Korean genomic and epidemiologic data. As a result, a statistically significant correlation was confirmed in 10 SNPs. The most significant SNP was rs113421921 (OR=0.69, CI: 0.53~0.90, $P=5.8{\times}10^{-3}$). In addition, rs173098, one of the significant 10 SNPs, is possibly located in a binding motif with the transcription factor cofactor p300, and can affect ITGB2 gene expression. These findings suggest that the pathogenesis of TB may be influenced by a range of genetic factors related to the immune function of the host, e.g., the reactions associated with the recruitment and attachment of leukocytes. The results of this study could be used to predict the infection control for tuberculosis in a patient-tailored manner.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1462-1469
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol supplementation on inflammasome, inflammation, and macrophage markers in subcutaneous adipose tissue of high-fat-diet-induced obese mice. C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to three groups: normal diet control (NC; n=10), high-fat diet control (HC; n=10), or high fat with resveratrol (HRE; n=10) group. The mice were fed a high-fat diet (60% of calories from fat) or normal diet (18% of calories from fat). Resveratrol dissolved in a 0.1ml solution of dimethyl sulfoxide was supplemented orally at 25 mg/kg body weight. After 15 weeks, the body weight was significantly higher in the high-fat diet group than in the normal diet group. The inflammasome markers NLRP3, ASC, and caspase1 were significantly lower in the HRE group than in the HC group. The levels of an inflammation marker, IL-18, were also significantly lower in the HRE group than in the NC and HC groups. The levels of macrophage markers F480 and CD86 were significantly lower in the HRE group than in the HC group. The levels of the M2 macrophage marker CD206 were significantly decreased in the HC and HRE groups. Resveratrol had a positive effect on ameliorating the complications of high fat diet-induced obesity by reducing inflammasome and M1 macrophage gene expressions. However, resveratrol supplementation did not reduce inflammation gene expression.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2024

Objective: To evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes of the Passeo-18 Lux drug-coated balloon (DCB) in endovascular revascularization procedures under real-world conditions in a Korean population with atherosclerotic disease of the infrainguinal arteries, including below-the-knee (BTK) arteries. Materials and Methods: Eight institutions in the Republic of Korea participated in this prospective, multicenter, single-arm, post-market surveillance study. Two hundred patients with Rutherford class 2-5 peripheral arterial disease and infrainguinal lesions suitable for endovascular treatment were competitively enrolled. Data were collected at baseline, the time of intervention, discharge, and 1-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up visits. The primary safety endpoint was freedom from major adverse events (MAE) within 6 months (except when limiting the time frame for procedure- or device-related mortality to within 30 days), and the primary effectiveness endpoint was freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) within 12 months after the procedure. Results: A total of 197 patients with 332 target lesions were analyzed. Two-thirds of the patients had diabetes mellitus, and 41.6% had chronic limb-threatening ischemia. The median target lesion length was 100 mm (interquartile range: 56-133 mm). Of the target lesions, 35.2% were occlusions, and 14.8% were located in the BTK arteries. Rate of freedom from MAE was 97.9% at 6 months, and the rate of freedom from CD-TLR was 95.0% and 92.2% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Subgroup analysis of 43 patients and 49 target lesions involving the BTK arteries showed rate of freedom from MAE of 92.8% at 6 months and rates of freedom from CD-TLR of 88.8% and 84.4% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Conclusion: The results of the present study, including the BTK subgroup analysis, showed outcomes comparable to those of other DCB studies, confirming the safety and effectiveness of Passeo-18 Lux DCB in the Korean population.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.223-230
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• 2003

This study was conducted to estimate the contents of 6 trace metals in potatoes and root vegetables purchased in wholesale market in the Seoul region, specifically, Cu. As, Zn, Pb, Cd and Hg. The minimum and maximum results obtained for each metal are summarized as follows for potatoes; Cu : 0.094∼0.344, As : N.D∼0.070, Zn : 0.247∼1.547, Pb : N.D∼0.268, Cd : N.D∼0.005, Hg : 0.001∼0.027, and for root vegetables; Cu : 0.021∼0.510, As : 0.004∼0.045, Zn : 0.143∼3.137, Pb : N.D∼0.372, Cd : N.D∼0.009, Hg : 0.001∼0.195. The daily intakes of trace metals from potatoes and root vegetables were estimated on the basis of the daily intake of these foods by Koreans, which were 0.073∼22.253 and 0.567∼156.219$\mu\textrm{g}$ from potatoes and root vegetables, respectively. The weekly intakes of trace metals were 0.009∼2.596 and 0.066∼18.224$\mu\textrm{g}$ for potatoes and root vegetables, respectively. The weekly intakes of trace metals for potatoes and root vegetables were very much lower than the PTWI(provisional tolerable weekly intake), enough to be within a safe range.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.932-943
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• 2000

Background : Nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP) is most likely to be confused with usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP). Unlike patients witþ UIP, the majority of patients with NSIP have a good prognosis, with most patients improving after treatment with corticosteroids. Therefore it is clinically important to differentiate NSIP from UIP. Up to now, the only means of differentiating these two diseases was by means of surgical lung biopsy. American Thoracic Society (ATS) proposed a clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP to provide assistance to clinicians in its diagnosis without surgical lung biopsy. This study is aimed to investigate whether there were clinical and radiological differences between NSIP and UIP, and the usefulness of ATS clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP in Korea. Methods : We studied 60 patients with UIP and NSIP confirmed by surgical lung biopsy. Clinical manifestations, pulmonary function test, arterial blood gas analysis, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were evaluated and analyzed by Chi-square test or t-test. The clinical criteria for UIP proposed by ATS were applied to all patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Results : Forty-two patients with UIP and 18 with NSIP were pathologically identified. Among the 18 patients with NSIP (M : F=1 : 17), the mean age was 55.2$\pm$8.4 (44~73) yr. Among the 42 patients with UIP (M : F=33 : 9), the mean age was 59.5$\pm$7.1 (45~74) yr (p=0.046). Fever was more frequent in NSIP (39%) (p=0.034), but clubbing was frequently observed in UIP (33%) (p=0.023). BAL lymphocytosis was more frequent (23%) (p=0.0001) and CD4/CD8 ratio was lower in NSIP (p=0.045). On HRCT, UIP frequently showed honeycomb appearance (36 of 42 patients) though not in NSIP (p=0.0001). Six of 42 UIP patients (14.3%) met the ATS clinical criteria for IPF, and 3 of 16 NSIP patients (18.8%) met the diagnostic criteria. Conclusion : Being a relatively young female and having short duration of illness, fever, BAL lymphocytosis, low CD4/CD8 ratio with the absence of clubbing and honeycomb appearance in HRCT increase the likelihood of the illness being NSIP. The usefulness of ATS clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP may be low in Korea.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2023

Complete DiGeorge syndrome (cDGS) refers to DGS with profound T cell deficiency. Herein, we present the case of an infant with cDGS suffering from refractory cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and who was treated with CD45RA+ depleted lymphocyte infusion. The patient was diagnosed with cDGS by fluorescence in situ hybridization which verified 22q11.2 deletion and as well as by the observed profound T cell deficiency (CD3+ T cells 69/μL, CD4+ T cells 7/μL). On the 45th day of age, CMV viremia was first detected with a plasma viral load (VL) of 120,000 IU/mL. Ganciclovir treatment effectively reduced VL post 56 days of treatment; however, VL subsequently rebounded. A CMV UL97 phosphotransferase M460V mutation conferring ganciclovir resistance emerged and foscarnet was incorporated. Despite this, high titers of CMV viremia (VL 2,820,000 IU/mL) and CMV retinitis were complicated. To restore T cell immunity and treat refractory CMV infection, CD45RA+ depleted CMV-specific lymphocytes from the patient's father were infused twice on the 196th and 207th days after birth. After receiving the second infusion, a decline in CMV VL was observed, with a decrease to 87,100 IU/mL by the tenth day following infusion, despite the failure in maintaining T cell increase. The patient died of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and Elizabethkingia meningoseptica sepsis on the 222nd day after birth. CD45RA+ depleted lymphocyte infusion may be a therapeutic option for refractory CMV disease in cDGS patients.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.160-164
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• 1991

The existence in nature of two isomers of 28-nortriterpenes is known. One is normal D/E cis form and the other is $17\alpha$-hydrogen D/E trans form. Since the latter cannot exist with ring D in the chair conformation, the chiroptical method is not applicable to determination of the absolute configuration. The stereochemical assignment would now be made by NMR data. Confirmation of this view could be provided by the synthesis of $3\beta, 21\beta-{dihydroxy-16-keto-28-nor-17}\alpha, \;18\beta-{olean-12-ene}$ as a model compound.