• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.106-112
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• 2005

Purpose: Considering that nutritional state correlates to immunity, we performed this study to evaluate the correlation by assessing the numerical changes of the levels of serum albumin and lymphocyte subsets. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on patients who were diagnosed as having gastric cancer and who underwent curative surgery from August 1998 to August 2004 in the Gyeongsang National University Hospital and whose peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were tested prior to surgery. The study population was a total of 150 cases. Results: The change in the lymphocyte subsets in relation to the change in the level of serum albumin in all patients with gastric cancer was determined, and was compared to disease stages. When patients were classified by using the level of serum albumin with 3.2 mg/dl as the cut-off point (low group: serum albumin <3.2 mg/dl, normal group = serum albumin $\geq$ 3.2 mg/dl), the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes, CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and CD16+ 56 cells were, significantly lower in the group with the level of serum albumin below 3.2 mg/dl (low group) than it was in the group with a serum albumin level above 3.2 mg/dl (normal group) (P<0.05). In stage I (n=59), CD16+56 cells were significantly lower in the low group. In stage II (n=29), the number of CD16+56 cells was lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was higher in the low group than in the normal group significantly. In stage IV (n=33), except for CD19+ cells, the number of all lymphocyte subsets was significantly lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was significantly higher in the low group. Conclusion: The group with a low level of serum albumin had a low absolute number of lymphocyte subsets. Based on this, we reconfirmed that the nutritional state is closely related with the immune state in patients with gastric cancer.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.27-49
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• 2005

당귀음자가감방(當歸飮子加減方)과 외치방(外治方) 병용의 아토피 치료 기전을 규명하고자 NC/Nga 생쥐의 동물 병태 모델을 이용하여 다양한 면역 반응을 관찰하였던 바, 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 1. NC/Nga 생쥐의 피부손상 정도 16주와 20부에 대조군에 비해 36.0%, 37.8% 감소하다. 2. NC/Nga 생쥐의 혈중(血中) IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IgM, IgG1 및 IgG2a 수준은 대조군에 비하여 유의성 있게 감소하였고, IL-13 수준은 대조군에 비하여 감소하였으나 유의성을 나타내지 않았다. 반면, $IFN-{\gamma}$ 수준은 유의성 있게 증가하다. 3. NC/Nga 생쥐의 비장 무게는 대조군에 비하여 유의성있게 감소하였다. 4. NC/Nga 생쥐의 lymph node에서 B/f ratio는 증가된 대조군에 비하여 감소하였으며, $CD4^+$와 $CD8^+$ 세포 발현은 대조군에 비하여 증가하였고, $CD4^+$는 유의성있는 감소를, $CD8^+$는 유의성 없는 약간의 증가를 나타내었다. $CD69^+$, CD11a 세포 발현은 대조군에 비하여 유의성있게 감소하였다. 5. NC/Nga 생쥐의 피부조직배양에서 IL-4 IL-5, CCR3 유전자 발현은 대조군에 비하여 현저히 감소하였고, IL-6, IL-13, $CD69^+/CD3{\varepsilon}^+,{\;}CD19^+/CD44^+$ 발현량은 유의성있게 감소하였으며, $IFN-{\gamma}$의 유전자 발현은 대조군에 비하여 증가하였다. 6. NC/Nga 생쥐 귀, 목의 피부 조직 변화에서는 표피와 진피의 염증 정도와 침윤된 염증 면역세포 등이 대조군에 비하여 현저하게 감소되었다. 7. Lymphokine assay에서 IL-4 발현량은 대조군에 비하여 유의성 있게 감소(減少)하였고, $IFN-{\gamma}$의 발현량은 유의성 있게 증가하였다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.98-105
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• 2020

Background: Little is known about capsule endoscopy (CE) findings in patients with intestinal tuberculosis who exhibit small bowel lesions. The aim of the present study was to distinguish between Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis based on CE findings. Methods: Findings from 55 patients, who underwent CE using PillCam SB CE (Given Imaging, Yoqneam, Israel) between February 2003 and June 2015, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: CE revealed small bowel lesions in 35 of the 55 patients: 19 with CD and 16 with intestinal tuberculosis. The median age at diagnosis for patients with CD was 26 years and 36 years for those with intestinal tuberculosis. On CE, three parameters, ≥10 ulcers, >3 involved segments and aphthous ulcers, were more common in patients with CD than in those intestinal tuberculosis. Cobblestoning was observed in five patients with CD and in none with intestinal tuberculosis. The authors hypothesized that a diagnosis of small bowel CD could be made when the number of parameters in CD patients was higher than that for intestinal tuberculosis. The authors calculated that the diagnosis of either CD or intestinal tuberculosis would have been made in 34 of the 35 patients (97%). Conclusion: The number of ulcers and involved segments, and the presence of aphthous ulcers, were significantly higher and more common, respectively, in patients with CD than in those with intestinal tuberculosis. Cobblestoning in the small bowel may highly favor a diagnosis of CD on CE.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.50.1-50.19
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• 2022

Autoreactive B cells are not entirely deleted, but some remain as immunocompetent or anergic B cells. Although the persistence of autoreactive B cells as anergic cells has been shown in transgenic mouse models with the expression of B cell receptor (BCR) reactive to engineered self-antigen, the characterization of naturally occurring anergic B cells is important to identify them and understand their contribution to immune regulation or autoimmune diseases. We report here that a low-level expression of CD138 in the splenic B cells marks naturally arising anergic B cells, not plasma cells. The CD138^int B cells consisted of IgM^lowIgD^high follicular (FO) B cells and transitional 3 B cells in homeostatic conditions. The CD138^int FO B cells showed an anergic gene expression profile shared with that of monoclonal anergic B cells expressing engineered BCRs and the gene expression profile was different from those of plasma cells, age-associated B cells, or germinal center B cells. The anergic state of the CD138^int FO B cells was confirmed by attenuated Ca²⁺ response and failure to upregulate CD69 upon BCR engagement with anti-IgM, anti-IgD, anti-Igκ, or anti-IgG. The BCR repertoire of the CD138^int FO B cells was distinct from that of the CD138^- FO B cells and included some class-switched B cells with low-level somatic mutations. These findings demonstrate the presence of polyclonal anergic B cells in the normal mice that are characterized by low-level expression of CD138, IgM downregulation, reduced Ca²⁺ and CD69 responses upon BCR engagement, and distinct BCR repertoire.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.259-267
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• 1996

In order to evaluate the effect of viral load on the prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals, immune complex dissociated (ICD) serum p24 antigen (p24) by acid treatment was retrospectively measured for 50 HIV-infected patients for 60 months. Among them, 27 patients were p24 positive (p24+) above 25pg/ml for $40.4{\pm}12$ months and 23 patients were negative (p24-). Follow-up periods from HIV diagnosis were $63.0{\pm}19$ months (range; 40-112) for the p24+ and $68.4{\pm}19$ months (range; 38-106) for the p24-, respectively (P>0.05)Mean CD4+T cell counts in the p24+ group decreased from $473{\pm}$277/ul (median;373) to $157{\pm}150/ul$ (median; 111) for $60{\pm}16$ months (5.3/month P280/ul (median; 476) to $432{\pm}285/ul$ (median;382) for $63{\pm}19$ months (2.5/month, P<0.01). From CD4+T cell count >200/ul, the patient who progressed to AIDS of <200/ul were 13 of 23 (56%) in the p24+ and 4 of 22 (18%) in p24-, respectively (p<0.01). And the number of death in two groups were 6 (22%) and 1 (4%), respectively (p<0.01). Presumed survival in two groups were about 12 and 24.5 years. These data suggest that viral load itself be very important for the prognosis of HIV-infected patients.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.3.1-3.11
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• 2023

Background: Studies on the risk of mercury (Hg) in Korean fishery products focus primarily on total Hg levels as opposed to methylmercury (MeHg) levels. None of the few studies on MeHg in tuna investigated tuna from Japanese restaurants. Few have evaluated lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in tuna. Thus, this study aimed to conduct a risk assessment by evaluating heavy metal concentrations in tuna from Japanese restaurants. Methods: Thirty-one tuna samples were collected from Japanese restaurants in the Republic of Korea. They were classified according to region and species. The concentration of heavy metals in the samples was analyzed using the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Code method. The rate of exceedance of maximum residue levels (MRLs) and the risk compared to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (%PTWI) were evaluated for risk assessment. Results: The mean of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As concentrations were 0.56 ± 1.47 mg/kg, 33.95 ± 3.74 ㎍/kg, 14.25 ± 2.19 ㎍/kg and 1.46 ± 1.89 mg/kg, respectively. No sample exceeded the MRLs of Pb and Cd, but 9.7% of the samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWIs of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As were 4.2037, 0.0162, 0.0244 and 1.1627, respectively. The %PTWI of MeHg by age group and sex was highest among men aged 19-29 years (10.6494), followed by men aged 30-49 years (7.2458) and women aged 19-29 years (4.8307). Conclusions: We found that 3 out of 31 samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWI of MeHg showed significant differences based on age and sex, and the value was likely to exceed a safe level depending on individuals' eating behaviors. Therefore, improved risk management for MeHg is required.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 1991

Production of cyclodextrin (CD) directly from raw corn starch without liquefaction using cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) was carried out in an agitated bead reaction system. Similar CD yield and production rate comparable with those of conventional method using liquefied starch were obtained. Especially high purity-CD in the reaction mixture without accumulation of malto-oligosaccharides was obtained. The maximum 54g/l of CD was obtained at raw starch concentration of 200g/l. CD yield was inversely proportional to raw starch concentration, and conversion yield was 0.48 at substrate concentration of 100g/l. The optimal amount of enzyme (CGTase unit/g raw starch) was found to be around 6.0. Granular structure of raw starch degraded by CGTase was observed by SEM in order to investigate the enhancing mechanism, along with those of acid or alkali pretreated raw starch, amylose, and amylopectin. Kinetic constants of CGTase on raw starch in an agitated bead reaction system were evaluated, and CGTase was competitively inhibited by CD.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.237-241
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• 2004

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is an uncommon chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that is characterized by cytopenia, splenomegaly, and mononuclear cells displaying cytoplasmic projections. We experienced a case of hairy cell leukemia that developed in a 38-year-old man. He showed marked splenomegaly without palpable lymphoadenopathy. A complete blood cell count revealed leukopenia ($3300/{\mu}{\ell}$ with 63% of lymphocyte) and the peripheral blood smear showed abnormal lymphoid cells with cytoplasmic projections. The bone marrow smear revealed abnormal lymphocytes and severe myelofibrosis. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase reactivity was strongly positive in the hairy cells. The immunophenotyping results of lymphoid cells were CD5(-), CD10(-), CD19(+), CD25(+), CD103(+), CD20(+), lambda(+). The patient was treated with 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine at a daily dose of 0.1mg/Kg by a continuous intravenous infusion for 7 days. The patient achieved complete remission.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.282-284
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• 1991

The yeast, Hansenula anomala B-7, isolated from the $Cd^{2+}$ rich soils and determined to be tolerant in the high concentration of $Cd^{2+}$ were employed in this work. Its intact cells grown in high concentration of $Cd^{2+}$ were observed to be Iysed at the early stage when transferred to a cadmium deficient broth. Its intact cells found to be not Iysed and grow well under the high concentration of $Cd^{2+}$. The Iysis of the intact cells grown at the high concentration of $Cd^{2+}$ ion was not found when the metal ions were replaced with $Cd^{2+}$ ion in the same concentration. This result indicated that Iysis of yeast cells, at least in this isolate, would be related to cell osmosis with the mineral ions added.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.364-366
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• 2007

The immunological role of the Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) in mice was examined using a PMT mutant strain. After a nasal inoculation, the mutant strain failed to induce interstitial pneumonia. Moreover, PMT had no significant effect on the populations of CD4+, CD8+, CD3+, and CD19+ immunocytes in blood or on the populations of CD4+ and CD8+ splenocytes (P<0.01). However, there was a significant increase in the total number of cells in the BAL samples obtained from the wild-type P. multocida-inoculated mice. On the other hand, the level of IL-l expression decreased when the macrophages from the bronchio-alveolar lavage were stimulated with PMT. Overall, PMT appears to play some role (stimulating and/or inhibiting) in the immunological responses but further studies will be required to confirm this.