• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.82-87
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• 2018

Objective: Concerns about the safety of assisted reproductive technology (ART) have been raised, as some studies have shown elevated incidence rates of childhood cancer, asthma, allergies, and other diseases in ART-conceived babies. Findings regarding the health of ART-conceived babies are controversial. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) in in vitro fertilization (IVF)-conceived mice in comparison to naturally conceived offspring. Methods: Mice (6-8 weeks) were divided into two groups (IVF-conceived and naturally conceived) matched by sex, age, weight, and litter size. A 1-mL blood sample was taken and the sera were separated. The oxidant-antioxidant balance was evaluated using a fast and reliable PAB assay. The results were expressed as $mean{\pm}standard$ deviation. Results: The mean PAB values (HK units) in the IVF-conceived and naturally conceived groups were $59.70{\pm}22.30$ and $54.70{\pm}18.22$, respectively (p= 0.82). Conclusion: Since free radicals contribute to several pathological conditions and antioxidants play an important protective role against oxidative stress, evaluating the oxidant-antioxidant balance is very important. Although the results of this study showed that the quality of the defense mechanism against free radicals was not significantly different between the IVF-conceived and naturally conceived mice, other parameters of metabolic dysfunction need to be measured.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.45-50
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• 1997

Neuroblastoma, a pediatric malignant neoplasm of neural crest origin, has a wide range of clinical virulence. The mechanisms contributing to the development of neuroblastomas are largely unclear, but non-random chromosomal changes identified over the past years suggest the involvement of genetic alterations. Amplification of the human N-myc proto-oncogene is frequently seen either in extrachromosomal double minutes or in homogeneously staining regions (HSRs) of aggressively growing neuroblastomas. N-myc maps to chromosome 2 band 24, but HSR have never been observed at this band, suggesting transposition of N-myc during amplification. We have constructed and analyzed the region-specific painting probe for HSR in neuroblastoma IMR-32 to determine the derivative chromosomes. Microdissection was performed on HSR using an inverted microscope with the help of microglass needles and an micromanipulator. We pretreated the microdissected fragments with Topoisomerase I which catalyzes the relaxation of supercolled DNA, and performed two initial rounds of DNA synthesis with T7 DNA polymerase followed by conventional PCR to enable the reliable preparation of Fluorescent in situ hybridization probe from a single microdissected chromosome. With this method, it was possible to construct the region-specific painting probe for HSR. The probe hybridized specifically to the HSRs of IMR-32, and to 2p24, 2p13 of normal chromosome. Our results suggest there was coamplification of N-myc together with DNA of the chromosome 2p24 and 2p13. Moreover, the fluorescent signals for the amplified chromosomal regions in IMR-32 cells were also easily recognized at a Thus this painting probe can be applied to detect the similar amplification of N-myc in neuroblastoma tissue, and the probe pool for HSR may be used to identify the cancer-relevant genes.

• 대한구순구개열학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.73-84
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• 2009

The treatment of cleft lip and palate must be based on a complete knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and growth of the involved deformity, because of not only the appearance but also impaired functions such as phonation, mastication, respiration and lingual posture of the maxillomandibular complex. Delaire has long studied all these aspects, and has published many numbers of articles and constructed a philosophy concerning the significance and interrelationship of the various structures. The results obtained from its application seem to be particularly valid from a clinical point of view, although it has not all been scientifically supported by experimental data. For these reasons, Delaire's primary unilateral and bilateral cheilorhinoplasty procedures are particulary good, as is his secondary gingivoalveoloplsty procedure during the course of the surgical repair of the hard palate. In order to understand Delaire's philosophy, it is necessary to consider the normal and pathologic anatomy of the structures involved in the deformity, the role of some structures, such as nasal septum, musculature, and tongue, and some functions, such as dental occlusion or nasal respiration, which play important roles in maxillary and particularly premaxillary growth. Despite of important concept and meanings, Delaire's philosophy has not been introduced widely to our Korean cleft surgeons yet. So authors will summarize the basic concepts of Delaire's philosophy according to already published literatures and lectures based on our previous treatment outcomes.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.177-186
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• 2018

Background and Objectives: Glial scarring and inflammation after spinal cord injury (SCI) interfere with neural regeneration and functional recovery due to the inhibitory microenvironment of the injured spinal cord. Stem cell transplantation can improve functional recovery in experimental models of SCI, but many obstacles to clinical application remain due to concerns regarding the effectiveness and safety of stem cell transplantation for SCI patients. In this study, we investigated the effects of transplantation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) that were genetically modified to express Olig2 in a rat model of SCI. Methods: Bone marrow-derived hMSCs were genetically modified to express Olig2 and transplanted one week after the induction of contusive SCI in a rat model. Spinal cords were harvested 7 weeks after transplantation. Results: Transplantation of Olig2-expressing hMSCs significantly improved functional recovery in a rat model of contusive SCI model compared to the control hMSC-transplanted group. Transplantation of Olig2-expressing hMSCs also attenuated glial scar formation in spinal cord lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that transplanted Olig2-expressing hMSCs were partially differentiated into Olig1-positive oligodendrocyte-like cells in spinal cords. Furthermore, NF-M-positive axons were more abundant in the Olig2-expressing hMSC-transplanted group than in the control hMSC-transplanted group. Conclusions: We suggest that Olig2-expressing hMSCs are a safe and optimal cell source for treating SCI.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.151-160
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• 2019

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sunlight, especially UVA and UVB, is the primary environmental cause of skin damage, including topical inflammation, premature skin aging, and skin cancer. Previous reports show that activation of nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) in human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes after UV exposure induces the expression and release of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), and subsequently leads to the production of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and growth factor basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Here, we demonstrated that TNFR2-SKEE and TNFR2-SKE, oligopeptides from TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2)-binding site of TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2), strongly inhibited the interaction of TNFR1 as well as TNFR2 with TRAF2. In particular, TNFR2-SKE suppressed UVB- or $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced nuclear translocalization of activated $NF-{\kappa}B$ in mouse fibroblasts. It decreased the expression of bFGF, MMPs, and COX2, which were upregulated by $TNF-{\alpha}$, and increased procollagen production, which was reduced by $TNF-{\alpha}$. Furthermore, TNFR2-SKE inhibited the UVB-induced proliferation of keratinocytes and melanocytes in the mouse skin and the infiltration of immune cells into inflamed tissues. These results suggest that TNFR2-SKE may possess the clinical potency to alleviate UV-induced photoaging in human skin.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.50-60
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• 2021

Objective: This study investigated the mRNA expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the sperm of oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) and teratozoospermic (TER) men compared to normozoospermic (NOR) men, as well as the relationships between GABA receptor expression and sperm parameters, fertilization rate, and embryo quality. Methods: The mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm was examined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in three groups of patients: NOR (n=32), OAT (n=22), and TER (n=45). The fertilization rate and embryo quality were assessed in 35 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI; 10 NOR, 10 OAT, and 15 TER men). Results: OAT men had significantly higher mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm than NOR men; however, the difference between TER and NOR men was not significant. High levels of these receptors were significantly correlated with low sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, as well as the rate of good-quality embryos (GQEs) at the cleavage stage after ICSI. Patients whose female partners had a >50% GQE rate at the cleavage stage had significantly lower levels of GABA A-α1 receptor expression than those whose partners had a ≤50% GQE rate. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that mRNA levels of GABA receptors in human sperm are correlated with poor sperm quality and associated with embryo development after ICSI treatment. The GABA A-α1 receptor in sperm has a stronger relationship with embryo quality at the cleavage stage than the GABA B-R2 receptor.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.99-107
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• 2022

Background Dermal backflow (DBF), which refers to lymphatic reflux due to lymphatic valve insufficiency, is a diagnostic finding in lymphedema. However, the three-dimensional structure of DBF remains unknown. Photoacoustic lymphangiography (PAL) is a new technique that enables the visualization of the distribution of light-absorbing molecules, such as hemoglobin or indocyanine green (ICG), and can provide three-dimensional images of superficial lymphatic vessels and the venous system. This study reports the use of PAL to visualize DBF structures in the extremities of patients with lymphedema after cancer surgery. Methods Patients with a clinical or lymphographic diagnosis of lymphedema who previously underwent surgery for cancer at one of two participating hospitals were included in this study. PAL was performed using the PAI-05 system. ICG was administered subcutaneously in the affected hand or foot, and ICG fluorescence lymphography was performed using a near-infrared camera system prior to PAL. Results Between April 2018 and January 2019, 21 patients were enrolled and examined using PAL. The DBF was composed of dense, interconnecting, three-dimensional lymphatic vessels. It was classified into three patterns according to the composition of the lymphatic vessels: a linear structure of lymphatic collectors (pattern 1), a network of lymphatic capillaries and lymphatic collectors in an underlying layer (pattern 2), and lymphatic capillaries and precollectors with no lymphatic collectors (pattern 3). Conclusions PAL showed the structure of DBF more precisely than ICG fluorescence lymphography. The use of PAL to visualize DBF assists in understanding the pathophysiology and assessing the severity of cancer-related lymphedema.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.42-47
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• 2024

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of temperature and storage time on the quality and DNA integrity of freeze-dried sperm from individuals with normozoospermia. Methods: Normal sperm samples from 15 men aged 24 to 40 years were studied. Each sample was divided into six groups: fresh, freezing (frozen in liquid nitrogen), freeze-dried then preserved at room temperature for 1 month (FD-1m-RT), freeze-dried then preserved at room temperature for 2 months (FD-2m-RT), freeze-dried then preserved at 4 ℃ for 1 month (FD-1m-4 ℃), and freeze-dried then preserved at 4 ℃ for 2 months (FD-2m-4 ℃). The morphology, progressive motility, vitality, and DNA integrity of the sperm were evaluated in all groups. Results: In all freeze-dried groups, sperm cells were immotile after rehydration. The freeze-dried groups also showed significantly less sperm vitality than the fresh and frozen groups. Significantly more morphological sperm abnormalities were found in the freeze-dried groups, but freeze-drying did not lead to a significantly higher DNA fragmentation index (DFI). The DFI was significantly higher in the FD-2m-RT group than in the other freeze-dried groups. Conclusion: The freeze-drying method preserved the integrity of sperm DNA. The temperature and duration of storage were also identified as factors that influenced the DFI. Accordingly, more research is needed on ways to improve sperm quality in the freeze-drying process.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.51-58
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• 2024

Background: The rise in national health care costs has emerged as a global problem given the ever-aging population and rapid development of medical technology. The utilization of interventional pain management has, similarly, shown a continued rise worldwide. This study evaluates the differences in the medical costs in the field of interventional pain treatment (IPT) between two countries: Korea and Japan. Methods: Korean medical insurance costs for 2019 related to pain management focused on IPT were compared to those of Japan. Purchasing power parity (PPP) was used to adjust the exchange rate differences and to compare prices in consideration of the respective societies' economic power. Results: The cost of trigger point injections in Japan was 1.06 times higher than that of Korea, whereas the perineural and intraarticular injection prices were lower in Japan. The cost of epidural blocks was higher in Japan compared to Korea in both cervical/thoracic and lumbar regions. As for blocks of peripheral branches of spinal nerves, the cost of scapular nerve blocks in Japan was lower than that in Korea, given a PPP ratio 0.09. For nerve blocks in which fluoroscopy guidance is mandatory, the costs of epidurography in Japan were greater than those in Korea, given a PPP ratio 1.04. Conclusions: This is the first comparative study focusing on the medical costs related to IPT between Korea and Japan, which reveals that the costs differed along various categories. Further comparisons reflecting more diverse countries and socio-economic aspects will be required.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.31.1-31.16
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• 2021

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death globally. The classification of advanced GC (AGC) according to molecular features has recently led to effective personalized cancer therapy for some patients. Specifically, AGC patients whose tumor cells express high levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) can now benefit from trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal Ab that targets HER2. However, patients with HER2^negative AGC receive limited clinical benefit from this treatment. To identify potential immune therapeutic targets in HER2^negative AGC, we obtained 40 fresh AGC specimens immediately after surgical resections and subjected the CD45⁺ immune cells in the tumor microenvironment to multi-channel/multi-panel flow cytometry analysis. Here, we report that HER2 negativity associated with reduced overall survival (OS) and greater tumor infiltration with neutrophils and non-classical monocytes. The potential pro-tumoral activities of these cell types were confirmed by the fact that high expression of neutrophil or non-classical monocyte signature genes in the gastrointestinal tumors in The Cancer Genome Atlas, Genotype-Tissue Expression and Gene Expression Omnibus databases associated with worse OS on Kaplan-Meir plots relative to tumors with low expression of these signature genes. Moreover, advanced stage disease in the AGCs of our patients associated with greater tumor frequencies of neutrophils and non-classical monocytes than early stage disease. Thus, our study suggests that these 2 myeloid populations may serve as novel therapeutic targets for HER2^negative AGC.