• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicities of permeable cryoprotectants and finally to establish the cryopreservation method of surplus embryos obtained during assisted reproductive technology (ART). Toxicities of permeable cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol (EG), Glycerol, and 1,2-PROH were investigated using a murine embryo model. Female $F-{_1}$ mice were stimulated with gonadotropin, induced ovulation with hCG and mated. Two cell embryos were collected and cultured after exposure to among DMSO, EG, Glycerol, and 1,2-PROH. Embryo development was evaluated up to the blastocyst stage. The total cell count of blastocysts that were treated with DMSO and Glycerol at the 2-cell stage was significantly lower than that were treated with EG ($81.1{\pm}15.1$), 1,2-PROH ($88.0{\pm}21.1$) or the control ($99.9{\pm}21.3$) (p<0.001). On comparison of four cryoprotectant treated groups, the DMSO and Glycerol treated group showed a decreased cell count compared with the EG and 1,2-PROH treated group (p<0.05). Both DMSO ($14.7{\pm}1.3$), EG ($12.1{\pm}1.1$), Glycerol ($15.2{\pm}1.8$), and 1,2-PROH ($11.5{\pm}1.3$) treated groups showed higher apoptosis rates of cells in the blastocyst compared with the control ($6.5{\pm}0.7$, p<0.0001). In addition, the DMSO or Glycerol treated group showed more apoptotic cells than the EG or 1,2-PROH treated group (p<0.001). The potential toxicity of cryoprotectants was uncovered by prolonged exposure of murine embryos to among DMSO, EG, Glycerol, and 1,2-PROH at room temperature. When comparing four permeable cryoprotective agents, EG and 1,2-PROH appeared to be less toxic than DMSO and Glycerol at least in a murine embryo model.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2011

Purpose : Pneumococcus is one of the most important causes of invasive infection through the childhood period. In January 2008, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) published revised penicillin breakpoints for Streptococcus pneumoniae and penicillin susceptibility rates of S. pneumoniae increased in Korea. This study was performed to determine the probability of oral amoxicillin for the empirical treatment achieving bactericidal exposure against pneumococcus using pharmacodynamics model. Methods : Twenty-three isolates of pneumococci were subjected to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for ${\beta}$-lactams and macrolide. For the ${\beta}$-lactams, exposure of fT >MIC (time that free drug concentrations remain above the MIC) for 50% of the administration interval have determined the probability of target attainment (PTA), and regimens that had a PTA >90% were considered optimal. An analysis was performed by applying MIC of 23 isolates to a 5000-patient Monte Carlo simulation model. Results : Among 23 isolates from healthy children, 7 (30.4%) isolates were MIC ${\leq}$1.0 ${\mu}g$/mL and 19 (82.6%) were MIC ${\leq}$2 ${\mu}g$/mL for amoxicillin. Amoxicillin 40 mg/kg/day achieved PTA >90% at MIC ${\leq}$1.0 ${\mu}g$/mL but PTA decreased to 52% at MIC 2 ${\mu}g$/mL, whereas amoxicillin 90 mg/kg/day can predict 97% of PTA at MIC 2 ${\mu}g$/mL. Overall, oral amoxicillin 90 mg/ kg/day for the empirical treatment against pneumococcus can expect more successful response in Korean children. Conclusion : Considering the resistantce pattern of pneumococci in Korean children, we estimate that oral amoxicillin 90 mg/kg/day will provide a pharmacodynamic advantage for the empirical treatment against pneumococcus. And low dose amoxicillin or macrolide are expected to have higher chance of treatment failure than high dose oral amoxicillin.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2979-2982
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• 2016

Background: High dose ionizing radiation can induce ovarian cancer, but the effect of low dose radiation on the development of ovarian cancer has not been extensively studied. We evaluated the effect of low dose radiation and total background radiation, and the radiation delivered to the ovaries during the treatment of rectosigmoid cancer and breast cancer on ovarian cancer incidence. Materials and Methods: Background radiation measurements are from Assessment of Variations in Radiation Exposure in the United States, 2011. Ovarian cancer incidence data are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) of ovarian cancer following breast cancer and rectosigmoid cancer are from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data. Obesity data by US state are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mean ages of US state populations are from the United States Census Bureau. Results: We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIR) from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, which reveal that in 194,042 cases of breast cancer treated with beam radiation, there were 796 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months of treatment (0.41%); in 283, 875 cases of breast cancer not treated with radiation, there were 1,531 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months (0.54%). The difference in ovarian cancer incidence in the two groups was significant (p < 0.001, two tailed Fisher exact test). The small dose of scattered ovarian radiation (about 3.09 cGy) from beam radiation to the breast appears to have reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 24%. In 13,099 cases of rectal or rectosigmoid junction cancer treated with beam radiation in the SEER data, there were 20 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months of treatment (0.15%). In 33,305 cases of rectal or rectosigmoid junction cancer not treated with radiation, there were 91 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months (0.27%). The difference in ovarian cancer incidence in the two groups was significant (p = 0.017, two tailed Fisher exact test). In other words, the beam radiation to rectum and rectosigmoid that also reached the ovaries reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 44%. In addition, there was a significant inverse relationship between ovarian cancer in white women and radon background radiation (r = - 0.465. p = 0.002) and total background radiation (r = -0.456, p = 0.002). Because increasing age and obesity are risk factors for ovarian cancer, multivariate linear regression was performed. The inverse relationship between ovarian cancer incidence and radon background was significant (${\beta}=-0.463$, p = 0.002) but unrelated to age (${\beta}=-0.080$, p = 0.570) or obesity (${\beta}=-0.180$, p = 0.208). Conclusions: The reduction of ovarian cancer risk following low dose radiation may be the result of radiation hormesis. Hormesis is a favorable biological response to low toxin exposure. A pollutant or toxin demonstrating hormesis has the opposite effect in small doses as in large doses. In the case of radiation, large doses are carcinogenic. However, lower overall cancer rates are found in U.S. states with high impact radiation. Moreover, there is reduced lung cancer incidence in high radiation background US states where nuclear weapons testing was done. Women at increased risk of ovarian cancer have two choices. They may be closely followed (surveillance) or undergo immediate prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. However, the efficacy of surveillance is questionable. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is considered preferable, although it carries the risk of surgical complications. The data analysis above suggests that low-dose pelvic irradiation might be a good third choice to reduce ovarian cancer risk. Further studies would be worthwhile to establish the lowest optimum radiation dose.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.390-398
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• 2021

In this study, the toxicity of chlorothalonil was investigated using survival rate and population growth rate of a marine rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis, typically used in live food in marine aquaculture systems. The survival rate of B. plicatilis was determined after 24 h of exposure to chlorothalonil (0.010-0.156 mg L^-1). Population growth rate of B. plicatilis was calculated after 72 h of exposure to chlorothalonil (0.078-1.250 mg L^-1). The survival rate and population growth rate of B. plicatilis exposed to chlorothalonil in single-dose toxicity assessment showed concentration-dependent reductions. Survival rates of B. plicatilis exposed to chlorothalonil had the following values: NOEC, 0.020mg L^-1; LOEC, 0.039 mg L^-1; and EC₅₀, 0.057 mg L^-1. Population growth rate of B. plicatilis exposed to chlorothalonil had the following values: NOEC, 0.156 mg L^-1; LOEC, 0.313 mg L^-1; and EC₅₀, 0.506 mg L^-1. When the residual concentration of chlorothalonil in the marine coastal area was more than 0.039 mg L^-1, it had a toxic effect on B. plicatilis, a zooplankton. This paper provides toxicity values that can be used as baseline data for organizing environmental standards of chlorothalonil. It also provides insight into toxic effects of chlorothalonil on other non-target organisms.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.158-168
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• 2023

Natural products have been used to mitigate the effects of cancer and infectious diseases, as they feature diverse bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Here, we chose 10 natural products that are well-known as pulmonary enhancers and investigated their bactericidal effects on Streptococcus pneumoniae. In the disk diffusion assay, the growth of S. pneumoniae was significantly regulated by G. fructus treatment regardless of extraction method used. We first adopted spraying as a novel delivery method for G. fructus. Interestingly, mice exposed to G. fructus three times a day for 2 weeks were resistant to S. pneumoniae intranasal infection (shown both through body weight loss and survival rates compared to the control group). Moreover, we confirmed that exposure to G. fructus regulated the colonization of the bacteria despite the sustained inflammation in the lung after exposure to S. pneumoniae, indicating that migrated inflammatory immune cells may involve a host defense mechanism against pulmonary infectious diseases. While a similar number of granulocytes (CD11b⁺Ly6C⁺Ly6G⁺), neutrophils (CD11b⁺Ly6C^intLy6G⁺), and monocytes (CD11b⁺Ly6C^intLy6G^-) were found between groups, a significantly increased number of alveolar macrophages (CD11b⁺CD11c^hiF4/80⁺) was detected in BAL fluids of mice pre-exposed to G. fructus at 5 days after S. pneumonia infection. Taken together, our data suggest that this usage of G. fructus can induce protective immunity against bacterial infection, indicating that facial spray may be helpful in enhancing the defense mechanism against pulmonary inflammation and in evaluating the efficacy of natural products as immune enhancers against respiratory diseases.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2024

Purpose: Tetracycline is not recommended for children under 12 by guideline due to the risk of tooth discoloration. We aimed to assess the incidence of dental discoloration in Korean children prescribed tetracyclines and investigate whether its risk was greater in tetracycline-exposed children than in the general population. Methods: This population-based cohort study using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment service database included children aged 0-12 years exposed to tetracyclines for at least 1 day between January 2008 and December 2020. The primary outcome was the incidence rate of dental discoloration ≥6 months after prescription, and the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was evaluated as secondary outcome. Results: 56,990 children were included-1,735 and 55,255 aged <8 and 8-12 years, respectively. 61% children were prescribed tetracycline for <14 days with mostly second-generation tetracyclines, doxycycline (61%) and minocycline (35%). The 5- and 10-year cumulative incidence rates of dental discoloration were 4.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.0-5.7%) and 5.7% (95% CI, 4.1% to 7.8%), respectively, in the 0-7 years age group and 0.8% (95% CI, 0.7% to 0.9%) and 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1% to 1.4%), respectively, in the 8-12 years age group. Tetracycline exposure did not increase such risk compared to that in the general population (SIR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.60). Conclusions: The incidence of dental discoloration was lower than previously suggested. Relieving the age restriction for prescribing tetracyclines may be considered.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.373-383
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• 2011

Tributyltin (TBT) is one of endocrine disrupters which are known as having similar function to sex steroid hormone inducing apoptosis in various tissues of rodents. Recently, it has been reported that TBT induces apoptosis in thymus causing the decreased thymic function, but little is known about the mechanism. To elucidate the mechanism, three-week-old SD female rats were orally administrated with TBT 1, 10, and 25 mg per body weight (kg) and sesame oil as a control for 7 days. On day 8, the thymi were obtained and weighed, and then the number of thymocytes was counted. We also performed H&E staining, TUNEL assay, and Annexin V flow cytometric analysis to examine the apoptosis rates and the structure in the thymus. Next, we investigated the adipogenesis and apoptosis-related mRNA expression levels in the thymi by real-time PCR. The thymic weight and the number of thymocytes were decreased by TBT in a dose-dependent manner. As a result of the H&E staining, the boundary between cortical and medullary area was blurred in the thymi of TBT treated rats compared to those of controls. In the results of TUNEL assay and Annexin V flow cytometric analysis, apoptosis rates in the thymus were increased after TBT treatment. The expression levels of thymic epithelial cell marker genes such as EVA, KGF, AIRE, and IL-7 were significantly decreased in the thymi of TBT treated rats, but $PPAR{\gamma}$, aP2, PEPCK, and CD36 were significantly increased. The expression of $TNF{\alpha}$ and TNFR1 as apoptosis-related genes also was significantly increased after TBT treatment. The present study demonstrates that TBT can increase the expression of adipogenesis and apoptosis-related genes leading to apoptosis in the thymus. These results suggest that the increased adipogenesis of thymus by TBT exposure might induce apoptosis in the thymus resulting in a loss in thymic immune function.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.1217-1224
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• 2007

Purpose : Due to its high potency against leukemic blasts, our institution has opted for the use of dexamethasone during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remission induction, but in our most recent treatment protocol, CMCPL-2005, we shortened the length of steroid treatment from 4 to 3 weeks. We compared both the rates of remission induction and significant complications observed during induction with CMCPL-2005, with those noted for our previous protocol, CMCPL-2001. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients diagnosed with ALL from January, 2001 to December, 2006 at the Department of Pediatrics, St. Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University of Korea. Data concerning age, sex, WBC count at diagnosis, immunophenotype, cytogenetic traits, and risk group were collected for each patient. Results of remission induction treatment were compared between the two patient groups. Infection and other major complications resulting from treatment were investigated according to NCI toxicity criteria. Results : A total of 141 and 88 patients received remission induction under CMCPL-2001 and CMCPL-2005 respectively. In the CMCPL-2001 group, 136 (96%) achieved complete remission while 82 (93%) achieved CR in the CMCPL-2005 group. Patients in the CMCPL-2005 group were more likely to undergo remission induction without experiencing major complications. However, with regards to steroid related toxicities such as infection, no significant differences were noted. Conclusion : We shortened the length of steroid administration from four to three weeks, yet found the remission induction rate to be comparable to that of our previous regimen. However, rates of steroid related toxicities such as infectious complications remain unchanged despite shortened exposure to dexamethasone.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.249-259
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• 2014

Cryopreserving cells which are maintaining their viability are the very complex process. This study has been carried out in order to find the effects of cryopreservation steps and freezing media on the rates of viability of cryopreserved chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs). PGCs obtained from the germinal gonade of 5.5~6 day (stage 28) chick embryos of Korean Ogye (KO) and Commercial breeds (C), using the MACS method were suspended in a freezing medium containing a freezing and protecting agents (e.g. dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol (EG) and propylene glycol (PG)). Gonads were harvested from stage 28 chick embryos and pooled in groups of 5, 10, 15, 20E embryos, contributing gonads to the cell suspension. The gonadal cells, including PGCs, were then frozen in 1 of the following cryoprotectant treatments : 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 0% cryoprotectant (DMSO, EG, PG) as a control. Effects of exposure to slow freezing and vitrification, with different concentrations of the cryoprotectant solution, were examined. After vitrification and slow freezing, survival rates of the frozen-thawed PGCs from the 10% EG plus FBS treatment were 85.63%, and 66.14% (p<0.05), respectively. The viability of PGCs after freeze-thawing was significantly higher for 10% EG plus FBS treatment than for 10% PG + FBS treatment (p<0.05) (85.63% vs 66.81%) by vitrification. This study established a method for preserving chicken PGCs that enables systematic storage and labeling of cryopreserved PGCs in liquid ($LN_2$) at a germplasm repository and ease of entry into a data base. In the future, the importance for this new technology is that poultry lines can be conserved while work is being conducted on improving the production of germline chimeras.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.121-136
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• 1986

Recently there have been some reports on human infections of Echinostoma hortense in Korea. It was found that a few species of freshwater fishes were playing the role of the second intermediate host of E. hortense. However, molluscan intermediate host has not been identified yet in Korea. The present study aimed to establish the life cycle of E. hortense in laboratory. Experimental studies such as egg production from the rat, development of the eggs in vitro, exposure of miracidia to freshwater snails, shedding pattern of cercariae from infected snails, morphology of cercariae, cercarial infection to the second intermediate host and infection of metacercariae to the definitive hosts were done. In addition, epidemiological surveys on the infection status in inhabitants and house rats, and on the natural infection of larval echinostomes in the snails and fishes were carried out along the South Hangang-river. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The eggs deposited from adults in physiological saline were cultivated at room temperature($20{\sim}24^{\circ}C$). The miracidia were firstly observed on 8 days after cultivation, and 85.5% of the eggs contained the mature miracidia on 11 days after cultivation. More than 90% formed the miracidia when cultivated at temperature $22{\sim}27^{\circ}C$. Hatching of the miracidia began on 12 days after cultivation and continued for a week. The size of the miracidia was $103.0{{\times}}51.4{\mu}m$ in average. The motility of the miracidia were active up to 8 hours after shedding, but they were all dead within 10 hours after shedding. 2. A freshwater snail, Radix auricularia coreana was cultivated in aquaria. A hatched $F_1$ snails from the egg masses were exposed to 20 miracidia respectively. Escape of cercariae started on 15 days after infecton. Radix auricularia coreana was experimentally identified as the first intermediate host of E. hortense in Korea. 3. Cercarial shedding started on $15{\sim}20$ days after infection by snail, continued for about 10 days (8.8 days in average). Infected snails were dead within 32 days after the miracidial infection. About 1,335 cercariae($328{\sim}1,994$) per snail were shed in its life, and 119 cercariae in average per snail per day were shed. The cercariae were motile for more than 24 hours, and then squirming at the bottom until death. The body and tail sizes of cercariae were $356{\times}186{\mu}m$ and $510{\times}68{\mu}m$ in average, respectively. The rediae parasitized in the snail hosts were found mainly around the pericardial regions, and their size was $1,575{\times}258{\mu}m$ in average. The numbers of developing cercariae in a mature redia were 14 in average ($7{\sim}20$ in range). The numbers of rediae in a snail were 102 in average on 15 days after miracidial infection and 221 in average on 28 days. 4. Three uninfected Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, less than 6.5cm long were used in for the cercarial infection. They were all exposed with 755 cercariae, and examined at 5-day intervals starting from 10 days after infection. All the fishes were infected with metacercariae of E. hortense and a total of 275 was found infected(36.4%). The metacercariae were fed to rats and the adult worms were obtained on 15 days after infection. 5. The infected rats began to deposit the eggs on 11 days after infection. The number of eggs deposited per day per worm (EPD/worm) was $400{\sim}500$ on 3 weeks after infection and was increased to $1,000{\sim}1,500$ on 4 to 17 weeks, then decreased to 800 on 21 weeks after infection. 6. A total of 745 stool specimens collected from 576 male and 169 female residents of 8 different villages along South Hangang basin was examined. Out of 745 specimens, the eggs of Echinostoma sp. were found in 2 cases (0.3%). Of 34 house rats one showed egg-positive (2.9%). 7. Total 971 Radix auricularia coreana collected from 7 sampling stations were examined for shedding of cercariae. Three snails (0.3%) shed the cercariae of E. hortense. A total of 119 out of 542 freshwater fishes (22.0%) had the metacercariae of E. hortense. The fishes parasitized with the metacercariae were 4 out of 14 examined species. The infection rates of 4 species were 34.1% (106 out of 311) in Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, 30.4% (7 out of 23) in Misgurnus mizolepis, 4.3% (2 out of 46) in Moroco oxycephalus and 22.2% (4 out of 18) in Odontobutis obscura interrupta. In summarizing the above results, the first intermediate host of E. hortense was found as Radix auricularia coreana in Korea. Also, it took about 46 days for the shortest completion of a life cycle of E. hortense in summer; that is, 10 days for miracidial development in eggs, 15 days for cercarial development in the snail, about 10 days for metacercarial development in the second intermediate hosts, and 11 days for the maturation as the adults in the definitive hosts. The natural infection rates of E. hortense in the intermediate hosts were relatively high but those in the definitive hosts were low in the middle areas of South Hangang basin.