• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.301-307
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• 2008

Background: The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) is an activating receptor that is expressed on the surface of neutrophils and mature monocytes when stimulated with several microbial components, which can amplify the inflammatory response. This study analyzed the prognostic value of the sTREM-1 levels in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods: The bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and blood was collected prospectively from 32 patients with ARDS, 15 survivors and 17 nonsurvivors. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure the sTREM-1. The following data was obtained: APACHE II score, Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS), BAL fluid analysis, C-reative protein. Mortality in the ICU was defined as the end point. Results: The serum sTREM-1 level was significantly higher in the nonsurvivors than survivors ($54.3{\pm}10.3pg/ml$ vs. $22.7{\pm}2.3pg/ml$, p<0.05). The sTREM-1 level in the serum, but not in the BAL fluid, was an independent predictor of the ICU mortality (OR: 22.051, 95% CI: 1.780~273.148, p<0.016), and a cut-off value of ${\geq}33pg/ml$ yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 93%. Conclusion: The serum sTREM-1 level may be a useful predictor of the outcome of ARDS patients.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-41
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• 1986

The applicability of micro-ELISA was evaluated in human neuro-cysticercosis using paired samples of serum and CSF. A total of 355 cases who were mostly neurologic patients was subjected. Cystic fluid of C. cellulosae was used as antigen in protein concentration of $2.5{\;}{\mu}g/ml$. Serum was diluted to 1 : 100 and CSF was undiluted in the assay for the specific IgG antibody level. The differential criterion of the positive reaction was the abs. of o. 18 in both samples. The results were summarized as follows: 1. The overall sensitivity of the micro-ELISA in 71 confirmed neurocysticercosis was 90.1% ; the sensitivity by serum was 77.5% and that by CSF was 83.1%. CSF was a more sensitive and valuable material. Most of the false negative cases of neuro-cysticercosis showed far lower level of abs. rather than marginal. 2. The overall specificity of the micro-ELISA in 52 confirmed other neurologic diseases was 88.5%; the specificities by serum and by CSF were 94.2% respectively. Cases of other neurologic diseases did not show false positive reactions in both samples. 3. When serum was assayed, taeniasis(2/18), sparganosis(2/20), paragonimiasis(1/56), clonorchiasis(1/15) and fascioliasis(1/1) cases showed cross reactions. When CSF was assayed, 2 ot 10 neuro-sparganosis showed cross reactions while none of 9 neuro-paragonimiasis showed it. Out of 71 confirmed neuro-cysticercosis cases, 6 and 11 showed cross reactions by serum and CSF to crude extract antigen of sparganum; but no case did show it to crude extract antigen of Paragonimus westermani. 4. Ventricular CSF showed low or negative levels of IgG antibody than lumbar CSF unless the lesion was at the lateral ventricle itself. 5. Out of 4 racemose cysticercosis cases, 3 showed positive reaction in serum while all of 3 examined CSF were positive. The above results indicated that the serological test for detecting the specific IgG antibody by micro-ELISA using paired samples of serum and CSF was very helpful for clinical differentiation of neuro-cysticercosis from neurologic diseases of other causes.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2017

A functional screen of 60,672 fosmid metagenomic clones amplified from marine sediment obtained from the Dokdo islets in Korea identified the gene EstES1, whose product, EstES1, displayed lipolytic properties on tributyrin-supplemented media. EstES1 is a 576 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular weight of 59.4 kDa including 37 N-terminal leader amino acids. EstES1 exhibited the highest sequence similarity (44%) to a carboxylesterase found in Haliangium ochraceum DSM14365. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that EstES1 belongs to a currently uncharacterized family of lipases. Within the conserved domain, EstES1 retains the catalytic triad that consists of the consensus penta-peptide motif, GESAG. EstES1 demonstrated a broad substrate specificity toward the long acyl group of ethyl esters (C2-C12), and its optimal activity was recorded toward p-Nitrophenyl butyrate (C4) at pH 9.0 and $40^{\circ}C$ (specific activity of 255.4 U/mg). The enzyme remained stable in the ranges of $60-65^{\circ}C$ and pH 9.0-10.5 and in the presence of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide. Therefore, EstES1 has potential for use in industrial applications involving high temperature, organic solvents, and/or alkaline conditions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2008

Purpose : Asthma is defined as chronic inflammation of the lower small airways, and bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) is a pathophysiologic feature of asthma. It has been proposed that although there is no direct variable capable of assessing the small airways, a forced expiratory flow of between 25 and 75 percent ($FEF_{25-75}$) might be considered a more sensitive early marker of small airway obstruction than the forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$). Thus, we proposed that the presence and degree of positive responses to bronchial methacholine testing were related to the difference (DFF) and ratio (RFF) between $FEV_1$ and $FEF_{25-75}$ in asthmatic children. Methods : The subjects were 583 symptomatic children, including 324 children with BHR and 259 controls. Pulmonary function tests, methacholine challenge tests, and skin prick tests were performed, and the total eosinophil count, total serum IgE, and serum eosinophil cationic protein level were measured in all subjects. From a concentration-response curve, the methacholine concentration required to produce a decrease of 20% from post-saline $FEV_1$ was calculated ($PC_{20}$). Results : The median DFF and RFF values decreased in controls compared to subjects with bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and this trend was found in groups ranked by its severity. $PC_{20}$ had a negative correlation with DFF and RFF. Cutoff values of 0.5 for DFF and 1.042 for RFF were identified, and sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Conclusion : This study revealed that DFF and RFF might be predictive of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in the context of normal $FEV_1$ in children.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.345-356
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• 1996

Properties of enzymatic hydrolysates from ascidian tunic were assessed on supernatant ratio, solid yields and solid concentration. The concentartion of solid and yields in the extracts were increased as the enzyme concentration raised from $100\;{\mu}l\;to\;1000{\mu}l$ during the extraction period. The optima concentration and reaction time of each enzyme on digestion were $400\;{\mu}l$ 60 minutes, through treated with Duncan's multiple test. The percent of yields of solid, protein and carotenoids for 60 minutes extraction at $400\;{\mu}l$ were $32.32\%,\;1.34\%\;and\;74.60\;mg\%$, respectively, in Viscozyme systems. The extracts were composed with many kinds of carbohydrates such as arabinose, ribose, xylose, galactose, glucose, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Aspartic and glutamic arid were noted as predominant amino acids in all parts. Amino acid profiles of various ascidian tunic part were similiar to each other, but most of essential amino acids content of inter coat was higher than that of root and tunic (body). About sixty six fatty acids components were observed, and their distribution among neutral and polar lipids was compared. The main fatty acids were found to be 14:0, 16:0, 16:1n7, 18:0, 18:1n9, 18:1n7, 18:2n6, 20:5n3, and 22:6n3.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 1998

Background: It is sometimes difficult to differentiate tuberculous pleural effusion from malignant pleural effusion by clinical symptoms, signs, by routine tests of pleural fluid, and by pathologic studies. And recently, it was discovered that cytokines such as IL-2, IFN-$\gamma$, TNF-$\alpha$ are elevated in tuberculous pleural fluid, and there have been several attempts to diagnose tuberculous pleural effusion by using these immunological mediators. There are several studies regarding the diagnostic value of IFN-$\gamma$, and there are two studies in Korea. But the diagnostic values of IFN-$\gamma$ in these studies were slightly lower than those in other countries. To compare the diagnostic value of IFN-$\gamma$ with those of CEA and ADA, and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of IFN-$\gamma$ in Korean, we mesured IFN-$\gamma$, CEA level and ADA activity in pleural effusions. Methods: ADA activity, IFN-$\gamma$ level and CEA level as well as cell count, differential count, and biochemical assays such as protein content and lactate dehydrogenase were measured in 40 cases of tuberculous pleuritis and 42 cases of malignant pleural effusion. Results: Tuberculous pleural fluid showed higher levels of IFN-$\gamma$ and ADA ($832.6{\pm}357.2$ pg/ml and $82.5{\pm}25.9$ U/L, respectively) than those of malignant pleural effusion ($2.6{\pm}8.0$ pg/ml and $19.2{\pm}10.9$ U/L, respectively) (p<0.01). Malignant pleural effusions showed higher median value (102.2 ng/ml) than tubercalous pleural effusions (1.8 ng/ml) (p<0.01). The sensitivities of IFN-$\gamma$, ADA, CEA were 0.97, 0.87, 0.67 and the specificities of IFN-$\gamma$, ADA, CEA were 1.0, 0.97, 1.0, respectively. There was no significant correlation between ADA activity and IFN-$\gamma$ level. Conclusion: This study showed that IFN-$\gamma$ test would be a very useful clinical test for differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis and malignant pleural effusion because it is very sensitive and specific, although it is an expensive test.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.315-323
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• 2000

Background : An immunochromatographic assay (ICT Diagnostics) which facilitates the diagnosis of tuberculosis(TB) by detecting serum antibodies mainly directed against specific 38KDa of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has come into the market. The test consists of a cardboard folding device containing nitrocellulose strip and absorbent pads. The whole procedure is completed within 15 min and does not require any additional equipment. The test has been reported to be sensitive and specific in diagnosing active TB. Thus the test had been evaluated with sera from TB patients and TB-free subjects. Method : Sera from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis(40 sputum positives for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 79 sputum negatives, and 3 extrapulmonary tuberculosis) were obtained from the Double-Cross Chest Clinic of the Korean National Tuberculosis Association (KNTA) in Seoul. The control group consisted of TB-free 68 subjects(21 children under 7 years old and 47 healthy staff members of KNTA). Results : Nine out of 68(13.2%) TB-free controls had positive antibody response. Total 106 of 122(86.9%) radiologically active patients had positive antibodies while 16 (13.1%) showed negative reaction. Antibody was detected in 38 of 40(95.0%) sputum positive patients and 68 of 82(82.9%) sputum negative patients who were under the antituberculosis chemotherapy. The sensitivity and specificity were all 87% and the positive predictive value was 92.2% while the negative predictive value was 78.7%, when the prevalence of TB in the sample was 64.2%. Our results clearly show that the detection of antibodies which mainly react with the 38KDa antigen of M. tuberculosis is not suitable as the first-line method of diagnosis but considered only as an adjunctive test to standard techniques of tuberculosis diagnosis. when considering its high false positivity.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2003

Laccase produced by Pycnoporus cinnabarinus SCH-3 isolated from Korea was partially purified using ultrafiltration, anion exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography, The laccase was produced as the predominant extracellular phenoloxidase during primary metabolism. Neither lignin peroxidase nor manganese-dependent peroxidase were detected in the culture fluid. In order to examine the effect of inducers in laccase production, 2,5-xylidine was added in the culture of Pycnoporus cinnabarinus SCH-3. Addition of 2,5-xylidine enhanced 25-fold laccase production. Purified laccase was a single polypeptide having a molecular mass of approximately 66 kDa, as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and carbohydrate content of 9%. $K_{m}\;and\;V_{max}$ values for laccase with ABTS [2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline 6-sulfonic acid)] as a substrate (Lineweaver-Burk plot) was determined to be $44.4{\mu}M\;and\;56.0{\mu}mole$, respectively. The optimal pH for laccase activity was found to be 3.0. The enzyme was very stable for 1 hour at $60{\circ}C$. Half-life ($t_{1/2}$) of the enzyme was about 10 min at $80{\circ}C$. Spectroscopic analysis of purified enzyme indicated that the enzyme was typical of copper-containing protein. Substrate specificity and inhibitor studies for laccase also indicated to be a typical fungal laccase. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the P. cinnabarinus SCH-3 laccase showed 94% of homology to the N-terminal sequences of laccases from P. cinnabarinus PB and P. coccineus.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.559-569
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• 2001

Background : Pleural effusion is one of the most common clinical manifestations associated with a variety of pulmonary diseases such as malignancy, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. However, there are no useful laboratory tests to determine the specific cause of pleural effusion. Therefore, an attempt was made to analyze the various types of pleural effusion and search for useful laboratory tests for pleural effusion in order to differentiate between the diseases, especially between a malignant pleural effusion and a non-malignant pleural effusion. Methods : 93 patients with a pleural effusion, who visited the Severance hospital from January 1998 to August 1999, were enrolled in this study. Ultrasound-guided thoracentesis was done and a confirmational diagnosis was made by a gram stain, bacterial culture, Ziehl-Neelsen stain, a mycobacterial culture, a pleural biopsy and cytology. Results : The male to female ratio was 56 : 37 and the average age was $47.1{\pm}21.8$ years. There were 16 cases with a malignant effusion, 12 cases with a para-malignant effusion, 36 cases with tuberculosis, 22 cases with a para-pneumonic effusion, and 7 cases with transudate. The LDH2 fraction was significantly higher in the para-malignant effusion group compared to the para-pneumonic effusion group [$30.6{\pm}6.4%$ and $20.2{\pm}7.5%$, respectively (p<0.05)] and both the LDH1 and LDH2 fraction was significantly in the para-malignant effusion group compared to those with tuberculosis [$16.4{\pm}7.2%$ vs. $7.6{\pm}4.7%$, and $30.6{\pm}6.4%$ vs.$17.6{\pm}6.3%$, respectively (p<0.05)]. The pleural effusion/serum LDH4 fraction ratio was significantly lower in the malignant effusion group compared to those with tuberculosis [$1.5{\pm}0.8$ vs. $2.1{\pm}0.6$, respectively (p<0.05)]. The LDH4 fraction and the pleural effusion/serum LDH4 fraction ratio was significantly lower in the para-malignant effusion group compared to those with tuberculosis [$17.0{\pm}5.8%$ vs. $23.5{\pm}4.6%$ and $1.3{\pm}0.4$ vs. $2.1{\pm}0.6$, respectively (p<0.05)]. Conclusion : These results suggest that the LDH isoenzyme was the only useful biochemical test for a differential diagnosis of the various diseases. In particular, the most useful test was the pleural effusion/serum LDH4 fraction ratio to distinguish between a para-malignant effusion and a tuberculous effusion.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 2006

Purpose : It is difficult to make a distinction between lower urinary tract infection(UTI) and acute pyelonephritis(APN) during the acute phase of febrile UTI due to nonspecific clinical symptoms and laboratory findings, especially among young children. We measured the serum procalcitonin(PCT) in children with UTI to distinguish between acute pyelonephritis and lower UTI, and to determine the accuracy of PCT measurement compared with other inflammatory markers. Methods : Serum samples were taken from children who admitted with unexplained fever or were suspected of having UTI. 51 children(mean $12.2{\pm}11.4$ months) were enrolled in this study. Leukocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates(ESR) and C-reactive protein(CRP) were also measured. Renal parenchymal involvement was assessed by $^{99m}Tc$ DMSA scintigraphy in the first 7 days after admission. PCT was measured by immunoluminometric assay. Results : PCT values were significantly correlated with the presence of renal defects in children with UTI(n=16)($5.06{\pm}12.97{\mu}g/L$, P<0.05). However, PCT values were not significantly different between children with UTI without renal damage(n=18) and children without UTI(n=17). Using a cutoff of $0.5{\mu}g/L$ for PCT and 20 mm/hr for ESR, 20 mg/L for CRP, sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between UTI with and without renal involvement were 81.3 percent and 88.9 percent for PCT 87.5 percent and 72.2 percent for ESR, and 87.5 percent and 55.6 percent for CRP, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 86.7 percent and 84.2 percent for PCT and 60.9 percent and 81.8 percent for CRP, respectively. Conclusion : In febrile UTI, PCT values were more specific than CRP, ESR and leukocyte count for the identification of patients who might develop renal defects.