• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to contribute to the prevention of occupational diseases through the development of an automatic analysis program for evaluating workers' exposure to hazardous chemical substances. Methods: The authors selected chemical substances that caused occupational disease in Korea and chemical substances that are frequently used in industrial sites as target substances for a GC-MS automatic analysis program. The target substances are organic compounds which can be measured by a passive sampler. The automatic analysis program was studied using various raw data obtained from GC-MS analysis for the target substances. Results: A total of 48 organic compounds that can be measured with a passive sampler were selected as target substances for the GC-MS automatic analysis program. The selected compounds included substances that caused occupational disease, substances related to C1 and D1 in special health examinations, and substances for which work environment measurements have been frequently conducted. The GC-MS automatic analysis program was developed by combining information mainly on retention time and mass spectrum. The GC-MS automatic analysis program is designed to analyze unknown samples by comparing the mass spectrum and retention time of the samples to those of reference materials. To evaluate the stability of the program, samples at about the 30-50% level of OELs were prepared and analyzed with the GC-MS automatic analysis program, resulting in stable results for all 48 organic compounds. Conclusion: An automatic analysis program for a total of 48 organic compounds was developed using a GC-MS system that can analyze organic compounds. Unknown samples that contain the 48 organic compounds can be automatically analyzed by the developed program. It is anticipated that it can contribute to the prevention of occupational diseases through an GC-MS automatic analysis program that can quickly provide workers with information on exposure to chemical substances.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.72-89
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• 2018

Objectives The objective of this study is to investigate the application of Sifeng point (EX-UE 10) in children and to make suggestions for domestic research and clinical application by reviewing relevant randomized controlled trials. Methods Eight electronic databases including English, Chinese, Korean databases were comprehensively searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of Sifeng point in children up to May 2, 2018. We extracted the year of publication, country, target diseases or symptoms, location of Sifeng, acupuncture method; such as acupuncture tool and depth of insertion, and frequency, number, and duration of the treatment. Results Fifty studies were included for analysis. All the included studies were conducted in China, and studies were published from 1962 to 2017. The most frequent target symptom was anorexia (46%). In addition, Sifeng point was used for digestive diseases or symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, and mesenteric lymphadenitis, as well as respiratory diseases or symptoms such as cough, cold, acute bronchiolitis, recurrent respiratory tract infections, bronchopneumonia, and asthmatic bronchitis. Also, allergic diseases such as chronic urticaria, and other variety of symptoms such as malnutrition, fever, and iron-deficiency anemia were treated with the Sifeng point. The location of Sifeng points was inconsistent, and the most common location of the Sifeng point was the midpoint of transverse creases of the proximal interphalangeal joints of the index, middle, ring and little fingers (84.2%). The most commonly used acupuncture tool was three-edged needle (40.9%). All included studies have the method of squeezing out blood or mucus from the Sifeng points. The treatment was mostly conducted once per week (35.4%), mostly repeated for 4 times (32.6%). The most common treatment duration was 4 weeks (18.6%). Conclusions We could identify acupuncture method and various indications for the Sifeng points treatment. Based on this study, there is a need for the clinical application and related researches on the Sifeng points in children in Korea. In addition, the treatment location of Sifeng point should be standardized.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 2015

Purpose: The Purpose of this study is to investigate if the relative legibility of optotypes affects the corrected visual acuity in visual acuity test. Methods: After measuring the relative legibility of 'Landolt ring target', 'arabic number target', 'alphabet target' by showing as a single-letter-target in 24 subjects without specific ocular diseases and ocular surgery experience, the relative legibility of 0.8, 1.0, 1.25 row of vision according to type of target in 7 types of chart were compared. After then we compared by measuring the corrected visual acuity according to type of target by using binocular MPMVA test (#7A) in 60 myopic subjects. Results: In 3 types of target the worst relative legibility target was 'Landolt ring target' with legible distance of $98.97{\pm}4.57cm$ and the best relative legibility target was 'alphabet target' with legible distance of $108.42{\pm}3.46cm$. There was no difference of the relative legibility according to type of chart or visual acuity level in the row of vision if other conditions are the same. In 1.0 and 1.25 row of vision the difference of relative legibility according to type of target was shown the statistically significant difference between 'Landolt ring target' and 'alphabet target' as $-0.07{\pm}0.06$ (p=0.02) and $-0.06{\pm}0.06$ (p=0.04) respectively. In myopia the difference of corrected visual acuity according to type of target was statistically significant difference between 'Landolt ring target' and 'arabic number target' as $-0.04{\pm}0.02$ (p=0.02) and it was especially remarkable in the low myopia. Conclusions: Measuring visual acuity with different optotypes could cause the errors in best vision measurement value because there was difference of the relative legibility according to type of target even though visual acuity level is same in the row of vision.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.223-230
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• 2015

Background: 8,000 children in North Korea died before they reached the 1 year after births in 2013. The high mortality rate of children under five years of age is mainly caused by infectious diseases and malnutrition. The need for national pediatric immunization and supply of vaccines will be vital when the abrupt reunification occurs. Objective: The purpose of this study is to scrutinize the pediatric immunization coverage of North Korea. Additionally it is to estimate the amount and the costs needed to vaccinate. Methods: The target population is the children of North Korea. The method is based on a pre-survey and an interview of North Korea defectors. The target interviewees searched for are as follows; doctors, teachers, and others. The interview includes questions on mortality rates and immunization coverage. The analysis is largely based on the statements of the health care providers within the selected group. Results: The interviewees are 8; 7 female and 1 male. The birth years range from 1956 to 1982. 3 out of 8 are former health care providers; a doctor, a pharmacist, and a nurse. The morbidity rate of infectious diseases exceeds the data from WHO. The immunization coverage is nearly 0% after 1980s. In order to ensure the welfare of North Korean children, at least 8,234,000 vaccine doses, requiring over 105 million U.S. dollars, are needed. Conclusion: The morbidity rate of infectious disease in North Korea is conspicuous. The preparation for supply and expenditure of vaccines is vital.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2012

Background: DNA damage-inducible 1 (Ddi1), one of the ubiquitin-like and ubiquitin-associated family of proteins, may function in the regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which has been validated as a target for antineoplastic therapy. We investigated Ddi1 expression in human lung cancer tissues and evaluated the relationship of this expression pattern with clinicopathological factors in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Ddi1 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissues from 97 patients with stage I NSCLC, who had undergone curative surgical resection at two tertiary referral hospitals from 1993~2004. None of the patients received preoperative chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Results: Thirty-nine (40.2%) of the 97 cases were positive for Ddi1. Ddi1 expression was dominantly seen in cytoplasm rather than in the nuclei of cancer cells in all histological types, whereas adjacent nontumoral lung tissue showed negative Ddi1 staining in most cases. Ddi1 expression tended to increase in well-differentiated tumors but without statistical significance. Positive Ddi1 expression was associated with a tendency for better disease-free survival and disease-specific survival, although the difference was not significant. Conclusion: Ddi1 expression is a property of NSCLC. Because Ddi1 could be a potential target for cancer therapy, more research is needed to evaluate its role in NSCLC.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.481-487
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• 2007

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) induce innate immune responses that are essential for host defenses against invading microbial pathogens, thus leading to the activation of adaptive immune responses. In general, TLRs have two major downstream signaling pathways: the MyD88- and TRIF-dependent pathways, which lead to the activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and IRF3. Numerous studies have demonstrated that certain phytochemicals possessing anti-inflammatory effects inhibit $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation induced by pro-inflammatory stimuli, including lipopolysaccharides and $TNF{\alpha}$. However, the direct molecular targets for such anti-inflammatory phytochemicals have not been fully identified. Identifying the direct targets of phytochemicals within the TLR pathways is important because the activation of TLRs by pro-inflammatory stimuli can induce inflammatory responses that are the key etiological conditions in the development of many chronic inflammatory diseases. In this paper we discuss the molecular targets of resveratrol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), and curcumin in the TLR signaling pathways. Resveratrol specifically inhibited the TRIF pathway in TLR3 and TLR4 signaling, by targetting TBK1 and RIP1 in the TRIF complex. Furthermore, EGCG suppressed the activation of IRF3 by targetting TBK1 in the TRIF-dependent signaling pathways. In contrast, the molecular target of curcumin within the TLR signaling pathways is the receptor itself, in addition to $IKK{\beta}$. Together, certain dietary phytochemicals can modulate TLR-derived signaling and inflammatory target gene expression, and in turn, alter susceptibility to microbial infection and chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2012

Background: The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling axis has emerged as a novel target for cancer therapy. Agents that inhibit this pathway are currently under development for lung cancer treatment. In the present study, we have tested whether dual inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling can lead to enahnced antitumor effects. We have also examined the role of autophagy during this process. Methods: We analyzed the combination effect of the mTOR inhibitor, temsirolimus, and the Akt inhibitor, GSK690693, on the survival of NCI-H460 and A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay and apoptosis induction was evaluated by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. Autophagy induction was also evaluated by acridine orange staining. Changes of apoptosis or autophagy-related proteins were evaluated by western blot analysis. Results: Combination treatment with temsirolimus and GSK690693 caused synergistically increased cell death in NCI-H460 and A549 cells. This was attributable to increased induction of apoptosis. Caspase 3 activation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage accompanied these findings. Autophagy also increased and inhibition of autophagy resulted in increased cell death, suggesting its cytoprotective role during this process. Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggest that the combination of temsirolimus and GSK690693 could be a novel strategy for lung cancer therapy. Inhibition of autophagy could also be a promising method of enhancing the combination effect of these drugs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.355-369
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• 2004

The equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) immediate-early (IE) protein is a potent transactivator responsible for the activation of both early and late genes during the course of infection and is comprised of discrete functional domains that mediate its many functions. Interaction between trans activators such as the IE protein and various components of the RNA polymerase II transcription initiation machinery has been demonstrated to be critical for transactivation. In the present report, it is addressed the hypothesis that the IE protein interacts with various components of transcription machinery to mediate transactivation of target viral genes. In these studies, it is demonstrated that in vitro transcribed and translated IE protein interacts with TFIIB-agarose conjugate but not with TFIID-agarose conjugate. Additional immunoprecipitation studies using nuclear extracts derived from EHV-1 infected RK-13 cells confirmed that the IE protein interacts strongly with TFIIB, but fails to interact with TFIID. IR2, a truncated form of the IE protein lacking the potent transactivation domain and involved in the down-regulation of the IE gene, also interacted with TFIIB but not with TFIID. Studies were also performed to ascertain if particular TBP-associated factors (TAFs) could mediate IE or IR2 binding to TFIID. In vitro transcribed and translated TAF250 added to nuclear extracts generated from EHV-1 infected cells also failed to mediate an interaction between the IE protein or the IR2 protein and TFIID. This study demonstrated that the IE protein mediates transactivation of target viral genes by a mechanism that involves TFIIB. This is in contrast to mechanisms that have been proposed for both the herpes simplex virus ICP4 and VP16 protein which have been proposed to transactivate viral genes through interactions involving both TFIIB and TFIID. This study also intimates that IR2 mediate its repressive effects during the course of EHV-1 infection by a mechanism that involves sequestration of various transcription factors.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2019

Drosophila melanogaster (fruits fly) is a representative model system widely used in biological studies because its brain function and basic cellular processes are similar to human beings. The whole head of the fly is often used to obtain the key function in brain-related diseases like degenerative brain diseases; however the biomolecular distribution of the head may be slightly different from that of a brain. Herein, lipid profiles of the head and dissected brain samples of Drosophila were studied using electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). According to the sample types, the detection of phospholipid ions was suppressed by triacylglycerol (TAG), or the specific phospholipid signals that are absent in the mass spectrum were measured. The lipid distribution was found to be different in the wild-type and the microRNA-14 deficiency model ($miR-14{\Delta}^1$) with abnormal lipid metabolism. A few phospholipids were also profiled by comparison of the head and the brain in two fly model systems. The mass spectra showed that the phospholipid distributions in the $miR-14{\Delta}^1$ model and the wild-type were different, and principal component analysis revealed a correlation between some phospholipids (phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylserine (PS)) in $miR-14{\Delta}^1$. The overall results suggested that brain-related lipids should be profiled using fly samples after dissection for more accurate analysis.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2016

The epidemiology of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) in Asia has been clarified through epidemiological studies, including one conducted in Japan, and subsequently another in South Korea. As endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has become more widely accessible, endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has been performed in pancreatic tumors for which the clinical course was only monitored previously. This has enabled accurate diagnosis of pancreatic tumors based on the 2010 WHO classification; as a result, the number of patients with an accurate diagnosis has increased. Although surgery has been the standard therapy for PNENs, new treatment options have become available in Japan for the treatment of advanced or inoperable PNENs; of particular note is the recent introduction of molecular target drugs (such as everolimus and sunitinib) and streptozocin. Treatment for progressive PNENs needs to be selected for each patient with consideration of the performance status, degree of tumor differentiation, tumor mass, and proliferation rate. Somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-2 is expressed in many patients with neuroendocrine tumor. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), which can visualize SSTR-2 expression, has been approved in Japan. The SRS will be a useful diagnostic tool for locating neuroendocrine neoplasms, detecting distant metastasis, and evaluating therapy outcomes. In this manuscript, we review the latest diagnostic methods and treatments for PNENs.