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Asthma predictive index as a useful diagnostic tool in preschool children: a cross-sectional study in Korea

  • Lee, Dong Hyeon;Kwon, Ji-Won;Kim, Hyung Young;Seo, Ju-Hee;Kim, Hyo-Bin;Lee, So-Yeon;Jang, Gwang-Cheon;Song, Dae-Jin;Kim, Woo Kyung;Jung, Young-Ho;Hong, Soo-Jong;Shim, Jung Yeon
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.63 no.3
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    • pp.104-109
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    • 2020
  • Background: It is challenging to diagnose asthma in preschool children. The asthma predictive index (API) has been used to predict asthma and decide whether to initiate treatment in preschool children. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between questionnaire-based current asthma with API, pulmonary function, airway hyperreactivity (AHR), fractional expiratory nitric oxide (FeNO), and atopic sensitization in preschool children. Methods: We performed a population-based cross-sectional study in 916 preschool children aged 4-6 years. We defined current asthma as the presence of both physician-diagnosed asthma and at least one wheezing episode within the previous 12 months using a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Clinical and laboratory parameters were compared between groups according to the presence of current asthma. Results: The prevalence of current asthma was 3.9% in the study population. Children with current asthma showed a higher rate of positive bronchodilator response and loose and stringent API scores than children without current asthma. The stringent API was associated with current asthma with 72.2% sensitivity and 82.0% specificity. The diagnostic accuracy of the stringent API for current asthma was 0.771. However, no intergroup differences in spirometry results, methacholine provocation test results, FeNO level, or atopic sensitization rate were observed. Conclusion: The questionnaire-based diagnosis of current asthma is associated with API, but not with spirometry, AHR, FeNO, or atopic sensitization in preschool children.

Overexpressions of Vimentin and Integrins in Human Metastatic Spine Tumors

  • Park, Sung Bae;Ryu, Young-Joon;Chung, Young Seob;Kim, Chi Heon;Chung, Chun Kee
    • Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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    • v.57 no.5
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    • pp.329-334
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    • 2015
  • Objective : To comparatively investigate the expression of several integrins in specimens of human bone metastases and degenerative bone tissue. Methods : Degenerative cancellous tissue was obtained from a sample of human degenerative spine. Thirteen human specimens were obtained from metastatic spine tumors, whose primary cancer was colon cancer (n=3), hepatocellular cancer (n=3), lung cancer (n=4), and breast cancer (n=3). The expression of vimentin and integrins ${\alpha}v$, ${\beta}1$, and ${\beta}3$ was assessed in metastatic and degenerative specimens by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results : Immunohistochemical staining showed that vimentin and integrin ${\alpha}v$ was broadly expressed in all tissues examined. By contrast, integrin ${\beta}1$ was weakly expressed only in 38.4% (5/13) of tissues. Integrin ${\beta}3$ was consistently negative in all cases examined. qRT-PCR analysis showed that vimentin gene expression was higher in all metastatic specimens, as compared to degenerative bone. The gene expression of integrin ${\alpha}v$ in breast specimen was significantly higher than others (p=0.045). The gene expression of integrin ${\beta}1$ was also higher in all metastatic specimens than in degenerative bone tissue. The gene expression of integrin ${\beta}3$ was variable. Conclusion : Spinal metastatic tumors have mesenchymal characteristics such as increased expression of vimentin. The increased expression of integrin ${\alpha}v$ and ${\beta}1$ in spine metastatic tumors suggests that adhesive molecules such as integrin may have implications for the prevention of spine metastasis.

Depression and Caregiving Burden in Families of Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (근위축성측삭경화증 환자를 돌보는 가족의 우울과 간병 부담감)

  • Oh, Juyeon;An, Ji Won;Oh, Ki-Wook;Oh, Seong-Il;Kim, Jung A;Kim, Seung Hyun;Lee, Jeong Seop
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.45 no.2
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    • pp.202-210
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    • 2015
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe depression, caregiving burden and the correlation of the two variables in the families of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to clarify factors predicting caregiving burden. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 139 family members who provided care to patients with ALS. The characteristics of patients and families, Korean-Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI), Korean version of Zarit Burden Interview (K-ZBI) and Korean-Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale - Revised (K-ALSFRS-R) were used as study measures. Results: The mean score for K-BDI was 19.39 out of 63 suggesting sub-clinical depression and 38.2% of the family members exhibited depression. The mean score for K-ZBI was 66.03 out of 88. The predictors for K-ZBI were K-BDI, age of family member, length of time spent per day in caring, relationship to patient and K-ALSFRS-R. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that levels of depression and caregiving burden are high among family members caring for patients with ALS. As depression is associated with caregiving burden, screening and emotional supports should be provided to reduce the burden of care for these family. Support programs to alleviate the care burden are also needed, considering family demographics, time per day in caring giving and K-ALSFRS-R.

Localization of the Membrane Interaction Sites of Pal-like Protein, HI0381 of Haemophilus influenzae

  • Kang, Su-Jin;Park, Sung Jean;Lee, Bong-Jin
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.26 no.2
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    • pp.206-211
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    • 2008
  • HI0381 of Haemophilus influenzae was investigated by circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. HI0381 is a 153-residue peptidoglycan-associated outer membrane lipoprotein, and a part of the larger Tol/Pal network. Here, we report its backbone $^1H$, $^{15}N$, and $^{13}C$ resonance assignments, and secondary structure predictions. About 97% of all of the $^1HN$, $^{15}N$, $^{13}CO$, $^{13}C{\alpha}$, and $^{13}C{\beta}$ resonances covering 131 non-proline residues of the 134 residue, mature protein, were clarified by sequential and specific assignments. CSI and TALOS analyses revealed that HI0381 contains five ${\alpha}$-helices and five ${\beta}$-strands. To characterize the structure of HI0381, the effects of pH and salt concentration were investigated by CD. In addition, the structural changes occurring when HI0381 was in a membranous environment were investigated by comparing its HSQC spectra and CD data in buffer and in DPC micelles; the results showed that helix ${\alpha}4$ and strand ${\beta}4$ became aligned with the membrane. We conclude that the conformation of HI0381 is affected by the membrane environment, implying that its folded state is directly related to its function.

The effect of aging on the quality of Semimembranosus muscle from Hanwoo

  • Kim, Sun Hyo;Kim, Hyun Joo;Lee, Hyun Jung;Yong, Hae In;Jo, Cheorun;Nam, Ki Chang;Jung, Samooel
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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    • v.43 no.1
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    • pp.61-71
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    • 2016
  • The effect of postmortem aging on the quality of Semimembranosus muscle (SM) from Hanwoo was investigated. The quality of SM was compared with that of Longissimus dorsi muscle (LD). SM contained higher moisture, protein, and ash, and lower fat than LD (p<0.05). The $a^*$ and $b^*$ values of SM were significantly decreased after 21 days of aging. SM showed higher $a^*$ values than LD at 1 and 7 day of aging (p<0.05). The cooking loss of SM was not affect by aging. SM had higher cooking loss than that of LD throughout the aging period. Although the shear force of SM was significantly decreased by aging, SM showed high shear force compared to LD during aging period (p<0.05). Aging increased lipid oxidation in both muscles (p<0.05). However, TBARS value of SM was significantly lower than that of LD throughout the aging period (p<0.05). There was no effect of aging on the betaine and L-carnitine contents of SM. SM contained higher betaine and L-carnitine than LD in all aging days (p<0.05). Therefore, we concluded that consumer acceptability of SM could be increased by aging based on the increase of tenderness in addition to its high nutritional properties.

Mechanical Properties of Porous Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide (반응소결 탄화규소 다공체의 기계적 특성)

  • Hwang, Sung-Sic;Park, Sang-Whan;Han, Jae-Ho;Han, Kyung-Sop;Kim, Chan-Mook
    • Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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    • v.39 no.10
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    • pp.948-954
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    • 2002
  • Porous reaction bonded SiC with high fracture strength was developed using Si melt infiltration method for use of the support layer in high temperature gas filter that is essential to develop the next generation power system such as integrated gasification combined cycle system. The porosity and pore size of porous RBSC developed in this study were in the range of 32∼36% and 37∼90 ${\mu}m$ respectively and the maximum fracture strength of porous RBSC fabricated was 120 MPa. The fracture strength and thermal shock resistance of porous RBSC fabricated by Si melt infiltration were much improved compared to those of commercially available porous clay bonded SiC due to the formation of the strong SiC/Si interface between SiC particles. The characteristics of pore structure of porous RBSC was varied depending on the amounts of residual Si as Well as the size of SiC particle used in green body.

Biocontrol Efficacies of Bacillus Species Against Cylindrocarpon destructans Causing Ginseng Root Rot

  • Jang, Ye-Lim;Kim, Sang-Gyu;Kim, Young-Ho
    • The Plant Pathology Journal
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.333-341
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    • 2011
  • Two antifungal bacteria were selected from forest soils during the screening of microorganisms antagonistic to Cylindrocarpon destructans, a cause of ginseng root rot. The antifungal bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis (I4) and B. amyloliquefaciens (yD16) based on physiological and cultural characteristics, the Biolog program, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses. Antagonistic activity of both bacterial isolates to C. destructans increased with increasing temperature. More rapid starch hydrolytic activity of the bacteria was seen on starch agar at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures, and in the higher density inoculum treatment than in the lower density inoculum treatment. The bacterial isolates failed to colonize ginseng root the root tissues inoculated with the bacteria alone at an inoculum density of $1{\times}10^6$ cfu/ml, but succeeded in colonizing the root tissues co-inoculated with the bacteria and C. destructans. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the pathogen was damaged by the low-density inoculum treatment with the bacterial isolates as much as by the high-density inoculum treatment. Both bacterial isolates were more effective in reducing root rot when they were treated at a concentration of $1{\times}10^6$ cfu/ml than at $1{\times}10^8$ cfu/ml. Also, only the former treatment induced prominent wound periderm formation, related to structural defense against pathogen infection. The results suggest that the bacterial antagonists may have high potential as biocontrol agents against ginseng root rot at relatively low-inoculum concentrations.