• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2024

Accurate measurement of blood pressure is essential for classifying an individual's disease, identifying blood pressure-related risks, and managing health. Due to the environmental and health hazards of mercury sphygmomanometers, automatic sphygmomanometers using the oscillometric method are widely used in hospitals as well as in general homes, and have established themselves as a practical standard sphygmomanometer. In this study, we developed a blood pressure simulator using an actuator that provides simulated pressure to an automatic blood pressure cuff. The developed blood pressure simulator adopts an arm-shaped cylindrical shape similar to the situation in which a person measures blood pressure with an automatic blood pressure monitor, and implements a method of transmitting pressure to the cuff using a pressure plate. Accuracy was evaluated through the mean and standard deviation of the difference with the commercialized blood pressure simulator BP PUMP 2, and reproducibility was confirmed using two automatic blood pressure monitors. The developed blood pressure simulator enables automatic blood pressure monitoring in a simple manner and also meets the evaluation standards for accuracy and reproducibility. In the future, as a standardized blood pressure simulator, it is expected to be of great help in evaluating and verifying the performance of automatic blood pressure monitors by supplementing precise hardware and software and building a blood pressure database.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.92-97
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• 2024

Elevated blood glucose is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Data from the current study showed that glucosamine (GlcN), a normal glucose metabolite of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), promoted lipid accumulation in RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Oleic acid- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lipid accumulation was further enhanced by GlcN in RAW264.7 cells, although there was no a significant change in the rate of fatty acid uptake. GlcN increased acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), scavenger receptor class A, liver X receptor, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) mRNA expression, and; conversely, suppressed ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA-1) and ABCG-1 expression. Additionally, GlcN promoted O-GlcNAcylation of nuclear SREBP-1 but did not affect its DNA binding activity. GlcN stimulated phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and S6 kinase. Rapamycin, a mTOR-specific inhibitor, suppressed GlcN-induced lipid accumulation in RAW264.7 cells. The GlcN-mediated increase in ACC and FAS mRNA was suppressed, while the decrease in ABCA-1 and ABCG-1 by GlcN was not significantly altered by rapamycin. Together, our results highlight the importance of the mTOR signaling pathway in GlcN-induced macrophage lipid accumulation and further support a potential link between mTOR and HBP signaling in lipogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.1
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• pp.219-224
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• 2020

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a rare benign lesion that accounts for 0.04-1% of all lung tumors and usually appears as a solitary pulmonary nodule or mass. Here, we report the case of an endobronchial inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in a 21-year-old man with a focus on the imaging findings and a review of previous literature.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-74
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• 2016

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that sample their environment and present antigens to naïve T lymphocytes for the subsequent antigen-specific immune responses. DCs exist in a range of distinct subpopulations including plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) and classical DCs (cDCs), with the latter consisting of the cDC1 and cDC2 lineages. Although the roles of DC-specific transcription factors across the DC subsets have become understood, the posttranscriptional mechanisms that regulate DC development are yet to be elucidated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pivotal posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression in a myriad of biological processes, but their contribution to the immune system is just beginning to surface. In this study, our in-house probe collection was screened to identify miRNAs possibly involved in DC development and function by targeting the transcripts of relevant mouse transcription factors. Examination of DC subsets from the culture of mouse bone marrow with Flt3 ligand identified high expression of miR-124 which was able to target the transcript of TCF4, a transcription factor critical for the development and homeostasis of pDCs. Further expression profiling of mouse DC subsets isolated from in vitro culture as well as via ex vivo purification demonstrated that miR-124 was outstandingly expressed in CD24⁺ cDC1 cells compared to in pDCs and CD172α⁺ cDC2 cells. These results imply that miR-124 is likely involved in the processes of DC subset development by posttranscriptional regulation of a transcription factor(s).

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 2023

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare benign tumor of unknown etiology that can occur in almost any organ system. It has neoplastic features such as local recurrence, invasive growth, and vascular invasion, leading to the possibility of malignant sarcomatous changes. The clinical presentations of colonic IPT may include abdominal pain, anemia, a palpable mass, and intestinal obstruction. A few cases of colonic IPT have been reported, but colonic IPT with pedunculated morphology is very rare. Furthermore, since it can mimic malignant polyps, understanding the endoscopic findings of colonic IPT is important for proper treatment. Herein, we present a case of colonic IPT with pseudosarcomatous changes, presenting as a large polyp, mimicking a malignant polyp in the cecum, along with a literature review.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.301-306
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• 2023

Backgrounds/Aims: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication that increases mortality and morbidity in older patients. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of post-cholecystectomy delirium in older patients. Methods: This retrospective study included 201 patients aged > 75 years who underwent cholecystectomy for acute or chronic cholecystitis between January 2016 and December 2019. Patients were divided into the POD (n = 21) and non-POD (n = 180) groups, and their demographic features and clinical results were compared. Results: The mean patient age was 78.88 years; the female/male ratio was 44.8%/55.2%. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 93.5% of patients. The univariate analysis showed that lower body mass index (BMI), immobilized admission status, neuropsychiatric disease history, preoperative intervention (percutaneous drainage), high C-reactive protein, hypoalbuminemia, neutrophilia, hypo-/hyperkalemia, and longer operative time were more frequently observed in the POD group. The multivariate analysis showed that lower BMI (odds ratio [OR], 2.796; p = 0.024), neuropsychiatric disease history (OR, 3.019; p = 0.049), hyperkalemia (OR, 5.972; p = 0.007), and longer operative time (OR, 1.011; p = 0.013) were significant risk factors for POD. Conclusions: POD was associated with inflammation degree, general condition, poor nutritional status, electrolyte imbalance, and stressful conditions. Recognizing risk factors requiring multidisciplinary team approaches is important to prevent and treat POD.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.550-559
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• 2024

Objective : This study focuses on identifying potential complications following oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) through routine magnetic resonance (MR) scans. Methods : From 650 patients who underwent OLIF from April 2018 to April 2022, this study included those with MR scans taken 1-week post-operatively, and only for indirect decompression patients. The analysis evaluated postoperative MR images for hematoma, cage insertion angles, and indirect decompression efficiency. Patient demographics, post-operatively symptoms, and complications were also evaluated. Results : Out of 401 patients enrolled, most underwent 1- or 2-level OLIF. Common findings included approach site hematoma (65.3%) and contralateral psoas hematoma (19%). The caudal level OLIF was related with less orthogonality and deep insertion of cage. Incomplete indirect decompression occurred in 4.66% of cases but did not require additional surgery. Rare but symptomatic complications included remnant disc rupture (four cases, 1%) and synovial cyst rupture (four cases, 1%). Conclusion : This study has identified potential complications associated with OLIF, including approach site hematoma, contralateral psoas hematoma, cage malposition risk at caudal levels, and radiologically insufficient indirect decompression. Additionally, it highlights rare, yet symptomatic complications such as remnant disc rupture and synovial cyst rupture. These findings contribute insights into the relatively under-explored area of OLIF complications.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.896-910
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• 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible and potentially fatal virus. So far, most comprehensive analyses encompassing clinical and transcriptional manifestation have concentrated on the lungs. Here, we confirmed evident signs of viral infection in the lungs and spleen of SARS-CoV-2-infected K18-hACE2 mice, which replicate the phenotype and infection symptoms in hospitalized humans. Seven days post viral detection in organs, infected mice showed decreased vital signs, leading to death. Bronchopneumonia due to infiltration of leukocytes in the lungs and reduction in the spleen lymphocyte region were observed. Transcriptome profiling implicated the meticulous regulation of distress and recovery from cytokine-mediated immunity by distinct immune cell types in a time-dependent manner. In lungs, the chemokine-driven response to viral invasion was highly elevated at 2 days post infection (dpi). In late infection, diseased lungs, post the innate immune process, showed recovery signs. The spleen established an even more immediate line of defense than the lungs, and the cytokine expression profile dropped at 7 dpi. At 5 dpi, spleen samples diverged into two distinct groups with different transcriptome profile and pathophysiology. Inhibition of consecutive host cell viral entry and massive immunoglobulin production and proteolysis inhibition seemed that one group endeavored to survive, while the other group struggled with developmental regeneration against consistent viral intrusion through the replication cycle. Our results may contribute to improved understanding of the longitudinal response to viral infection and development of potential therapeutics for hospitalized patients affected by SARS-CoV-2.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.7.1-7.19
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• 2024

Viral load and the duration of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important determinants of the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019. In this study, we examined the effects of viral doses on the lung and spleen of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice by temporal histological and transcriptional analyses. Approximately, 1×10⁵ plaque-forming units (PFU) of SARS-CoV-2 induced strong host responses in the lungs from 2 days post inoculation (dpi) which did not recover until the mice died, whereas responses to the virus were obvious at 5 days, recovering to the basal state by 14 dpi at 1×10² PFU. Further, flow cytometry showed that number of CD8+ T cells continuously increased in 1×10² PFU-virus-infected lungs from 2 dpi, but not in 1×10⁵ PFU-virus-infected lungs. In spleens, responses to the virus were prominent from 2 dpi, and number of B cells was significantly decreased at 1×10⁵ PFU; however, 1×1² PFU of virus induced very weak responses from 2 dpi which recovered by 10 dpi. Although the defense responses returned to normal and the mice survived, lung histology showed evidence of fibrosis, suggesting sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings indicate that specific effectors of the immune response in the lung and spleen were either increased or depleted in response to doses of SARS-CoV-2. This study demonstrated that the response of local and systemic immune effectors to a viral infection varies with viral dose, which either exacerbates the severity of the infection or accelerates its elimination.

• 한국전자현미경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.144-146
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• 2005