• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.4
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• pp.201-206
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• 2016

Active tuberculosis (TB) has a greater burden of TB bacilli than latent TB and acts as an infection source for contacts. Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is the state in which humans are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis without any clinical symptoms, radiological abnormality, or microbiological evidence. TB is transmissible by respiratory droplet nucleus of $1-5{\mu}m$ in diameter, containing 1-10 TB bacilli. TB transmission is affected by the strength of the infectious source, infectiousness of TB bacilli, immunoresistance of the host, environmental stresses, and biosocial factors. Infection controls to reduce TB transmission consist of managerial activities, administrative control, engineering control, environmental control, and personal protective equipment provision. However, diagnosis and treatment for LTBI as a national TB control program is an important strategy on the precondition that active TB is not missed. Therefore, more concrete evidences for LTBI management based on clinical and public perspectives are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.541-546
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• 2000

Methods to determine L-dopa(L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) in aqueous solution by spectrofluorimetry based upon the ligand sensitized luminescence of Tb(III) ion L-dopa complex have been studied. Tb(III) ion and Lu(III) ion were used as ligand sensitized fluorescencer and co-fluorescence enhancer, respectively. The effects of excitation wavelength, pH, concentration of Tb(III) ion, concentration of Lu(III) ion and emission wavelength on the fluorescence intensity were investigated. The fluorescence intensity of the Tb(III) ion L-dopa complex was further increased with addition of Lu(III) ion. The calibration curve for L-dopa was linear over the range from 5.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-7}$ M to 1.0${\times}$ $10^{-4}$ M and the detection limit was 4.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-8}$ M under the optimal experimental conditions of 300 nm, 8.0, 1.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-4}$ M and 545 nm for excitation wavelength, pH, concentration of Tb(III) ion and emission wavelength, respectively. When Lu(III) ion was added to Tb(Ⅲ) ion L-dopa complex, the concentration range of linear response and detection limit were 1.0${\times}$$10^{-8}$ M to 2.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-4}$ M and 1.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-9}$ M, respectively under the optimal experimental conditions of 300 nm, 8.5, 1.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-5}$ M, 1.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-5}$ M, 545 nm for excitation wavelength, pH, concentration of Tb(III) ion, concentration of Lu(III) ion and emission wavelength, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2022

Thymosin β-4 (TB4) is a small peptide composed of 43 amino acids. To obtain sufficient biologically active mouse TB4 economically, we cloned and overexpressed this gene in an Escherichia coli system. With the isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside induction of the E. coli transformant, TB4 fusion protein with intein- and chitin-binding domain was successfully expressed in the soluble fraction within the E. coli cell. The TB4-intein - chitin-binding domain fusion protein was purified from the soluble fraction of E. coli cell lysate. The affinity chromatography with chitin beads and dithiothreitol-mediated intein self-cleavage reaction releases the TB4 peptide into the stripping solution. Sodium dodecyl sulphate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analyses were used to confirm that the recombinant TB4 peptide was produced with the expected size of 5 kDa. We found that the recombinant TB4 stimulated cell migration in the transwell plate chamber assay. After 18 hr of the treatment of the recombinant TB4 with 1 ng/ml concentration, the migration of the HT1080 cell was increased by 20% compared with that of the chemically synthesized TB4. The recombinant TB4 was also observed to promote the healing of a wound area in C57BL/6 mice by as high as 35% compared with that of the chemically synthesized TB4. These results suggest that the recombinant TB4 has better biological activity for cell migration and wound healing than that of the chemically synthesized TB4 peptide.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.262-265
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• 2012

The Microstructure and nonlinear electrical properties of the ZPCCYT (ZnO-$Pr_6O_{11}$-CoO-$Cr_2O_3$-$Y_2O_3$-$Tb_4O_7$) varistors were investigated for different amounts of $Tb_4O_7$. The addition of $Tb_4O_7$ has a significant effect on microstructure and electrical properties. Analysis of the microstructure indicated that the ceramics consisted of ZnO grain as a main phase and a few secondary phases as a mix of $Pr_6O_{11}$, $Y_2O_3$, and $Tb_4O_7$. As the amount of $Tb_4O_7$ increased, the sintered densities of pellets increased from $\rho$ = 5.70 to $5.78g/cm^3$ and the average grain size decreased from d = 4.8 to $3.6{\mu}m$. The increase in the amount of $Tb_4O_7$ increased from $E_B$ = 7,473 to 10,035 V/cm and from ${\alpha}$ = 39.7 to 52.2. In particular, it was found that the ceramics modified with 1.0 mol% in the amount of $Tb_4O_7$ are suited for the varistors for high voltage in the light of a high sintered density and a high voltage gradient.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2012

Background: Detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) infection with contact investigation is a key component of TB control program. I evaluated the prevalence and risk factors for TB infection among contacts of recently diagnosed pulmonary TB patients in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Methods: 206 contacts of 90 adult pulmonary TB patients underwent tuberculin skin tests (TST) and chest radiography. The TST results were considered positive with an induration of 10 mm or more, suggesting TB infection. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess risk factors associated with TB infection. Results: TST was positive in 97 of 206 contacts of TB patients (47.1%) and positive rate of TST increased with age. The risk of TB infection was significantly associated with close contact with TB patients (sleeping in the same room) (odd ratio [OR], 4.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43~17.00). Conclusion: TB infection rate was higher in the elderly, and the risk of TB infection was significantly increased with close contact of TB patients.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2014

Thymosin beta4 (TB4) has multiple functions in cellular response in processes as diverse as embryonic organ development and the pathogeneses of disease, especially those associated with cardiac coronary vessels. However, the specific roles played by TB4 during heart valve development in vertebrates are largely unknown. Here, we identified a novel function of TB4 in endothelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in cardiac valve endocardial cushions in zebrafish. The expressions of thymosin family members in developing zebrafish embryos were determined by whole mount in situ hybridization. Of the thymosin family members only zTB4 was expressed in the developing heart region. Cardiac valve development at 48 h post fertilization was defected in zebrafish TB4 (zTB4) morpholino-injected embryos (morphants). In zTB4 morphants, abnormal linear heart tube development was observed. The expressions of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 4, notch1b, and hyaluronic acid synthase (HAS) 2 genes were also markedly reduced in atrio-ventricular canal (AVC). Endocardial cells in the AVC region were stained with anti-Zn5 antibody reactive against Dm-grasp (an EMT marker) to observe EMT in developing cardiac valves in zTB4 morphants. EMT marker expression in valve endothelial cells was confirmed after transfection with TB4 siRNA in the presence of transforming growth factor ${\beta}$ ($TGF{\beta}$) by RT-PCR and immunofluorescent assay. Zn5-positive endocardial AVC cells were not observed in zTB4 morphants, and knockdown of TB4 suppressed TGF-${\beta}$-induced EMT in ovine valve endothelial cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that TB4 plays a pivotal role in cardiac valve formation by increasing EMT.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.67-72
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• 2016

$BaMoO_4:Tb^{3+}$ phosphor powders were synthesized with different concentrations of $Tb^{3+}$ ions using the solid-state reaction method. XRD patterns showed that all the phosphors, irrespective of the concentration of $Tb^{3+}$ ions, had tetragonal systems with two main (112) and (004) diffraction peaks. The excitation spectra of the $Tb^{3+}$-doped $BaMoO_4$ phosphors consisted of an intense broad band centered at 290 nm in the range of 230-330 nm and two weak bands. The former broad band corresponded to the $4f^8{\rightarrow}4f^75d^1$ transition of $Tb^{3+}$ ions; the latter two weak bands were ascribed to the $^7F_2{\rightarrow}^5D_3$ (471 nm) and $^7F_6{\rightarrow}^5D_4$ (492 nm) transitions of $Tb^{3+}$. The main emission band, when excited at 290 nm, showed a strong green band at 550 nm arising from the $^5D_4{\rightarrow}^7F_5$ transition of $Tb^{3+}$ ions. As the concentration of $Tb^{3+}$ increased from 1 to 10 mol%, the intensities of all the emission lines gradually increased, approached maxima at 10 mol% of $Tb^{3+}$ ions, and then showed a decreasing tendency with further increase in the $Tb^{3+}$ ions due to the concentration quenching effect. The critical distance between neighboring $Tb^{3+}$ ions for concentration quenching was calculated and found to be $12.3{\AA}$, which indicates that dipole-dipole interaction was the main mechanism for the concentration quenching of the $^5D_4{\rightarrow}^7F_5$ transition of $Tb^{3+}$ in the $BaMoO_4:Tb^{3+}$ phosphors.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1273-1276
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• 2011

Laponite samples intercalated with $Tb^{3+}$ or $Tb^{3+},Ce^{3+}$ ions were prepared by exchange of Na+ ions in interlayers with $Tb^{3+}$ or $Ce^{3+}$ ions. Strong green and weak blue emissions under vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation (${\lambda}$ = 158 nm) were observed due to the $^5D_4{\rightarrow}^7F_J$ and $^5D_3{\rightarrow}^7F_J$ emission lines, respectively. $Tb^{3+}$ ions in an interlayer of laponite mainly existed in ion pairs or clusters, as evidenced by the concentration-dependent luminescence of the $Tb^{3+}$ ions on the relative intensities of the $^5D_3{\rightarrow}^7F_J$ and the $^5D_4{\rightarrow}^7F_J$ emission lines, due to the action of a cross-relaxation process. The addition of $Ce^{3+}$ ions increased the thermal stability of $Tb^{3+}$ intercalated laponite up to $650^{\circ}C$ and quenched the $^5D_3{\rightarrow}^7F_J$ emission lines, probably by promoting the formation of $Tb^{3+}$ ion pairs at relatively low $Tb^{3+}$ concentrations.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.537-542
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• 2013

Two types of Tb- and Na-substituted green phosphors $Ca_{(1-1.5x)}WO_4:Tb_x^{3+}$: and $Ca_{(1-2x)}WO_4:Tb_x^{3+},Na_x^+$ were synthesized with various x values, using a solid-state reaction. The former phosphors contained both substitutional and vacancy point defects, while the later had only substitutional defects. X-ray diffraction results showed that the main diffraction peak, (112), was centered at $2{\theta}=28.72^{\circ}$ and indicated that there was no basic structural deformation caused by substitutions or vacancies. The photoluminescence emission and photoluminescence excitation spectra revealed the optical properties of trivalent terbium ions, $Tb^{3+}$. Typical transitions, $^5D_3{\rightarrow}^7F_6,\;^7F_5,\;^7F_4$ and $^5D_4{\rightarrow}^7F_6,\;^7F_5,\;^7F_4,\;^7F_3$, and cross relaxations were observed. Subtle differences in the photoluminescence of green phosphors were observed as a result of the point defects. The FT-IR spectra indicated that some of the ungerade vibrational modes had shifted positions and changed shapes, spreading out over a wide range of frequencies. This change can be attributed to the different masses of $Tb^{3+}$ and $Na^+$ ions and $V_{Ca}$" vacancies compared to $Ca^{2+}$ ions. The gerade normal modes of the Raman spectra exhibited subtle differences resulting from point defects in $Ca_{(1-1.5x)}Tb_xWO_4$ and $Ca_{(1-2x)}Tb_xNa_xWO_4$.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.277-285
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• 2020

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a major health problem worldwide. Especially, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), which is defined as TB that shows resistance to both isoniazid and rifampicin, is a barrier in the treatment of TB. Globally, approximately 3.4% of new TB patients and 20% of the patients with a history of previous treatment for TB were diagnosed with MDR-TB. The treatment of MDR-TB requires medications for a long duration (up to 20-24 months) with less effective and toxic second-line drugs and has unfavorable outcomes. However, treatment outcomes are expected to improve due to the introduction of a new agent (bedaquiline), repurposed drugs (linezolid, clofazimine, and cycloserine), and technological advancement in rapid drug sensitivity testing. The World Health Organization (WHO) released a rapid communication in 2018, followed by consolidated guidelines for the treatment of MDR-TB in 2019 based on clinical trials and an individual patient data meta-analysis. In these guidelines, the WHO suggested reclassification of second-line anti-TB drugs and recommended oral treatment regimens that included the new and repurposed agents. The aims of this article are to review the treatment strategies of MDR-TB based on the 2019 WHO guidelines regarding the management of MDR-TB and the diagnostic techniques for detecting resistance, including phenotypic and molecular drug sensitivity tests.