• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2004

Purpose : Minimal Change Disease (MCD) is the most common primary nephrotic syndrome in children. Some suggested that tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) are involved in the pathogenesis of MCD. Methods : This study was done to see the changes of plasma and urinary $TNF-{\alpha}$, and its effect on the determination of permeability of the glomerular basement membrane (BM) contributed by heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG). Study patients consisted of 19 biopsy-proven MCD children aged 2-15 years old. Both plasma and urinary $TNF-{\alpha}$ were measured. Employing the Millicell system, $TNF-{\alpha}$ was screened for the permeability factors. We examined whether $TNF-{\alpha}$ regulated BM HSPG gene expression and HS synthesis in the glomerular epithelial cells (GECs). Results : Urinary $TNF-{\alpha}$ during relapse was significantly increased when compared with that of during remission or controls ($364.4{\pm}51.2$ vs $155.3{\pm}20.8,\;36.0{\pm}4.5$ ng/mg cr) (P<0.05). However, negative results were obtained in the permeability assay using the Millicell system. No difference was seen in the BM HSPG gene expression and HS synthesis in the GECs. Conclusion : It seems that $TNF-{\alpha}$ may not play a disease-specific role in the pathogenesis of MCD.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.19 no.2 s.20
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• pp.244-251
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• 1986

Sister chromatid exchanges(SCEs) and cell cycle kinetics were proposed as a sensitive and quantitative assay for mutagenicity and cytotoxicity in short-term cultures of phytohema-gglutinin(PHA)-stimu1ated human 1ymphocytes. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the relation between the cytotoxic effects and sister chromatid exchanges. The resultes are summarized as follows: 1) The frequency of SCEs per cell are $13.1{\pm}2.8$ in the lower concentration of $6.25{\times}10^{-9}M\;and\;75.8{\pm}8.2$ in the highest concentration of $1.00{\pm}10^{-7}M$. Mitotic index is decreased in the higher concentration of mitomycin C. The result indicates that mitomycin C led to a dose dependent increase in SCE frequency, but decease in mitotic index. 2) Chromosomal analysis was performed on metaphase cells that have divided one, two, and three or more times for cell cycle kinetics by fluorescence-plus-Giemsa(FPG) technique. According to the increased concentration of mitomycin C, the proportion of metaphase cells in the first are profoundly increased but the cells of third division are greatly decreased. 3) The frequency of SCEs per chromosome by chromosomal group are decreased gradually from A group to G group. But relationships between specific chromosomal group and SCE frequency are not found.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.326-331
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• 2008

The purpose of this work is to develope sodium-containing nonstoichiometric apatitic coatings on solid substrate. The apatitic coatings prepared at different concentrations of sodium salt indicated that the presence of sodium ions exerted significant effects on the physicochemical properties of the apatitic coating including surface morphology, chemical state, and Ca/P ratio. The variation of these properties was sustained up to 0.01 mM of sodium ion concentration. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus was varied from 2.18 to 2.03 which indicated the apatitic coating prepared in this study was calcium-rich nonstoichiometric apatite. The structure of all the samples appeared to be low crystalline. In the presence of sodium ion within the apaptitic coating, the adhesion of human osteoblast-like SaOS-2 cells was significantly promoted. On the other hand, the proliferation of the cells on the apatitic coatings was decreased with the increase of sodium ions. This reverse response of SaOS-2 cells indicates that the interaction between SaOS-2 and apatitic surface triggered considerable changes in intracellular mechanisms including cellular signal transductions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.124-124
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• 2003

The successful development of embryos cloned by nuclear transfer (NT)have been dependent on a wide range of known factors including cell cycle of donor and recipient ooplast, oocyte quality, NT procedure and oocyte activation. The present study compared the development of cloned porcine embryos following different activation treatments. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were aspirated from 26 mm follicles of slaughterhouse ovaries and cultured for 22 h in NCSU #23 medium supplemented with 10% porcine follicular fluid, 0.57 mM cysteine, 0.5 g/mL LH, 0.5 g/mL FSH and 10 ng/mL EGF. The COCs were further cultured for an additional 22 h in the same medium at $39{\cird}C$ in an atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ in air, without hormonal supplements. Primary cultures of fibroblasts isolated from a female fetus on day 40 of gestation were established in DMEM + 15% FCS. For nuclear donation, cells at the 5th-6th passage were cultured in DMEM +0.5% FCS for 5 days in order to arrest the cells in G0/Gl. After enucleation, oocytes were reconstructed by transfer of donor cells and fusion with three DC pulses (1.4 KV/cm, 30 sec) in 0.28 M mannitol containing 0.01 mM $CaCl_2$ and 0.01 mM $MgCl_2$. Eggs were then divided into three treatment groups, control (without further treatment, Group 1), eggs cultured in 10 g/ml cycloheximide (CHX) for 5 h (Group 2), and eggs cultured in 1.9 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) for 5 h (Group 3). The eggs were then cultured in sets of 30 in 60 I drops of NCSU#23 supplemented with 4mg/ml BSA (essentially fatty acid free) until day 7 at $39{\circ}C$ in a humidified atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$. On day 4 the culture were fed by adding 20 I NCSU #23 supplemented with 10% FBS. Development rates into blastocysts were significantly higher (P<0.05) in Group 3 embryos compared to Group 1 controls ($27.6 \mu 2.7% vs. 20.1 \mu 4.1%$, respectively), but rates did not differ in Group 2 compared to control ($23.8 \mu 5.7%$). Total cell number in Group 3 blastocysts was however significantly higher (P<0.05) than in Groups 1 and 2 ($44.6 \mu 2.4 vs. 19.9 \mu 1.9 and 21.9 \mu 2.1$, respectively). These results suggest that 6-DMAP is more efficient than cycloheximide in the activation of electrically fused NT oocytes during in vitro production of cloned porcine embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.1015-1020
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• 2009

Purpose:The aim of this study is to explore the effect of the Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) expressed in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) that respond to antigen to Th2 immune deviation in allergic patients. Methods:Subjects consisted of 19 allergic patients and 17 healthy volunteers. Skin prick tests and nasal provocation tests were performed for the two groups. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from subjects and analyzed for the Lineage Cocktail (CD3, CD14, CD16, CD19, CD20, CD56) (-), HLA-DR (+), and CD123 (+) using flow cytometry. In addition, we analyzed TLR9 mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The level of $interferon-{\alpha}$ ($IFN-{\alpha}$) of the PBMCs following stimulation with the TLR9 ligand CpG-ODN 2216 was also evaluated. Results:Analyses of CD123 (+) revealed a nearly similar distribution for the classical pDC markers in the allergic group ($0.1%{\pm}0.04%$) and in the controls ($0.25%{\pm}0.23%$). The mRNA levels of TLR9 on PBMCs were not different between the allergic group and the controls ($1.29{\pm}0.41$ vs. $1.25{\pm}0.23$, respectively). Additionally, the level of $IFN-{\alpha}$ in PBMCs exposed to stimuli of the TLR9 ligand CpG-ODN 2216 was not significantly different between the two groups ($911{\pm}829$ vs. $1,095{\pm}888pg/mL$, respectively). Conclusion:We found no evidence that TLR9-dependent immune responses in human pDCs are associated with allergic status.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2006

Objectives: The p53 tumor suppressor gene has a key role in cellular control mechanisms involving apoptosis and DNA repair, leading to the G1 arrest following DNA damage. Its mutation is one of the most frequent alterations in human cancers. Ki-67 is identified in replicating cells of both benign and malignant lesions, so it can be the predictor of proliferative activity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of p53 and Ki-67 in salivary gland tumors. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis was used to detect expression of p53 and Ki-67 in paraffin-embedded samples from 31 benign and 27 malignant salivary gland tumors. Results were analyzed between benign and malignant tumors and compared with the clinical parameters such as stage and recurrence in malignant tumors. Results: p53 overexpression was detected in 19.6% of benign tumors and 40.7% of malignant tumors, but there was no statistical significance. p53 was significantly expressed in Warthin's tumor(45.5%) compared with pleomorphic adenoma(5.9%). Only 5.9% of pleomorphic adenoma were positive for p53, while 60% of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma were positive for p53. Ki-67 was expressed in 3.2% of benign tumors and 51.9% of malignant tumors, which showed significant higher expression in malignant tumors. In malignant tumors, p53 and Ki-67 expressions bore no correlation to stage and recurrence. Conclusion: p53 overexpression is not associated with the progression of malignant tumors, and Ki-67 overexpression can be used as biologic indicator of malignant salivary gland tumors.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1970

To study the productivity of single cell protein from the petroleum hydrocarbon utilizing yeasts, 242 soil samples, such as oil soaked soil of gas stations and garage, coal, farm soil, and sewage, from 135 places in Korea were collected. From these samples 468 yeast strains which utilize petroleum hydrocarbon as a sole organic carbon source were isolated and identified by observing the growth rates. For the identified strains optimum culture conditions were determined and analysis of cell components were performed. 1. 90.8% of petroleum hydrocarbon utilizing yeast strains were found from oil soaked soil and about 10% from coal, farm soil and sewage etc. 2. The yeast strain of the highest cell productivity was isolated from oil soaked soil and was identified as Candida curvata HY-69-19. 3. The optimum culture conditions for the selected yeast strain were found to be pH 5.0, $28^{\circ}C$ and affluent aerated state. 4. Candida curvata HY-69-19 was found to utilize favorably the heavy gas oil fractionated at above $268.9^{\circ}C$ as carbon source and urea as inorganic nitrogen source. 5. The growth curve of this strain on heavy gas oil medium showed that the yeast has a lag phase up to 18 hours and logarithmic growth phase between 24 to 42 hours. Generation time was found to be between 3.8 and 4.5 hours during the logarithmic growth phase. 6. About 300 mg dried cells per heavy gas oil was harvested under the culture conditions of adjusted pH to 5.0 at time intervals of 6 hours for 54 hours and heavy gas oil urea for shaking culture medium. 7. Chemical composition of the yeast cell was found to be 40.25%, 14.81%, 24.32% and 10.63% for crude protein, crude lipid, carbohydrate and ashes, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.253-261
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the aflatoxin $B_1$ binding of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Korean traditional soybean paste and to evaluate the effect of incubation conditions and physico-chemical factors on the binding ability of LAB to this mutagen. The amount of aflatoxin $B_1$ bound by Enterococcus faecium DJ22, Lactobacillus fermentum DJ35, Lactobacillus rhamnosus DJ42, and Lactobacillus pentosus DJ47 was strain specific with the percent bound ranging from 19.3% to 52.1%. However, Enterococcus faecalis DJ14, Lactobacillus panis DJ29, and Pediococcus halophilus DJ50 strains did not exhibit any of the binding ability to aflatoxin $B_1$. For most strains, the binding ability was significantly affected by the environmental conditions such as the aflatoxin $B_1$ level, incubation time and temperature, and the initial cell count of LAB. The stability of the aflatoxin $B_1$-bacteria complexes was significantly more unstable after washing. In addition, the binding stability between viable and nonviable cells was not statistically significant. Treatment with heating, acidic pH, ${\alpha}$-amylase, protease, lysozyme, or sodium metaperiodate caused a significant (P<0.05) decrease in aflatoxin $B_1$ binding for the tested strains, suggesting that carbohydrates or proteins in the cell walls may be involved in aflatoxin $B_1$ binding ability. Since the aflatoxin $B_1$ binding of LAB was significantly reduced (P<0.05) by the pretreatment of the urea, the binding force observed in this study may have resulted from hydrophobic interaction.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2009

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a clinical technique that therapeutically removes toxic solutes from body fluids and normalizes endogenous solutes whose aberrant concentrations disrupt normal physiology. This study retrospectively evaluated clinical outcomes and complications of PD in 20 dogs with renal failure. Blood works (total count of red blood cells (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), the serum biochemical, and electrolyte values related to renal insufficiency) and complications associated with peritoneal dialysis, and clinical outcomes were recorded before and after PD. Additionally, creatinine reduction ratio (CRR) and urea nitrogen reduction ratio (URR) were calculated for evaluating the efficacy of PD. PD resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration in 19 dogs, while a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in creatinine concentration in 17 dogs. The complications of PD were hypoalbuminemia (12/20, 60%), anemia (10/20, 50%), subcutaneous dialysate leakage (9/20, 45%), bacterial peritonitis (6/20, 30%), dialysate retention (5/20, 25%) and limb edema (4/20, 20%). This study demonstrated that PD was effective in reducing the magnitude of azotemia in dogs with renal failure especially in acute phase, although the complication rate was high but manageable.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2007

Caffeine is one of the most well known stimulants which can potentially increase mental performance, release fatigue and decrease depression. Green beans from different soils and climates contain different levels of caffeine, and as well as extracted coffee with different roasting and extracting methods. An investigation looking at pH, acidity, extractable solid and caffeine contents was assessed according to roasting and extracting conditions of various coffee beans. Brazilian coffee beans did not show much variation in pH with respect to roasting and extracting temperature, however, acidity increased in low roasting and extracting temperatures. This was however most prominently observed in Ethiopian and Indonesian coffee beans. The large expansion of coffee bean cells renders them highly porous to the passage of water, consequently extracted solids were found to increase with increasing temperature. This was especially apparent in Columbian coffee which had the highest extracted solids. The amount of caffeine extracted from coffee beans also increased with the higher temperature extraction. The Indonesian and Vietnam robusta coffee varieties showed the highest caffeine content.