• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2006

The mutability and frequency of genetic reassortment characteristic of rotavirus and resultant antigenic changes make the rotavirus formidable challenges for control efforts such as the vaccine development. An alternative approach to overcome these difficulties in development of the rotavirus vaccine is to develop effective inhibitors of the virus infection. As an effort to achieve this, effects of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), which is an active component of glycyrrhizin, on MA-14 cell infection were examined by employing the human rotavirus isolated from Korea, K-21. The data obtained showed that MA-104 cell infection of the K-21 rotavirus was greatly influenced by the presence of both $18{\alpha}-Ga\;and\;18{\beta}-GA$. Both types of GA have inhibited more than 60% of the rotaviral infection at the concentration of 7.68mM. This inhibition effect became much more evident at the higher concentrations of GA. However, the type of GA did not make much differences on the inhibition effect of the drug. Although GA has to be used in high concentrations to exhibit anti-viral activity and to be virostatic, a long history of safe and high dose usage of licoriece in clinical settings in the Far East makes the GA as an attractive inhibitor of the rotaviral infection.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is highly associated with cervical cancer. So, the modification of the risk factors of HPV infection is essential for prevention of cervical cancer. This study was performed to evaluate the risk factors of HPV infection. Methods: HPV test of 12,337 study population conducted using Hybrid-Capture II assay(HC-II) and self-administered questionnaires were collected. The study population was people who visited hospital-based medical screening center from January to December 2007 and all were female employees or employees' partner. Results: In logistic regression analysis, smoking and alcohol drinking were significant factors, with odds ratios of 1.328 (95% CI 1.010~1.746) and 1.644 (95% CI 1.309~2.066), respectively. Nutritional supplements was also significant factor, which odds ratio was 1.161 (95% CI 1.004~1.343). Oral contraceptives was positive association with HPV infection (odds ratio 2.108; 95% CI 1.217~3.652), whereas condom was negative association (odds ratio 0.851; 95% CI 0.740~0.979). Conclusion: HPV Prevalence of 12,377 study population was 11.4%. Smoking, alcohol drinking, nutritional supplements and oral contraceptives were possible risk factors of HPV infection, and condom had possible preventive effect on HPV infection. Further prospective and comprehensive studies about HPV risk factors are required.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.10
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• pp.395-401
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• 2016

Since the outbreak of the enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in Malaysia in 1997, large epidemics of EV71 have occurred in the Asia-Pacific region. Many children and infants have died from serious neurological complications during these epidemics, and EV71 infection has become a serious public health problem in these areas. EV71 infection causes hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in children, and usually resolves spontaneously. However, EV71 occasionally involves the central nervous system (CNS), and induces diverse neurological complications such as brainstem encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, and acute flaccid paralysis. Among those complications, brainstem encephalitis is the most critical neurological manifestation because it can cause neurogenic pulmonary hemorrhage/edema leading to death. The characteristic clinical symptoms such as myoclonus and ataxia, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, and brainstem lesions on magnetic resonance imaging, in conjunction with the skin rash of HFMD and the isolation of EV71 from a stool, throat-swab, or CSF sample are typical findings indicating CNS involvement of EV71 infection. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and milrinone are recommended in cases with severe neurological complications from EV71 infection, such as brainstem encephalitis. Despite the recent discovery of receptors for EV71 in human cells, such as the scavenger receptor B2 and P-selection glycoprotein ligand 1, it is not known why EV71 infection predominantly involves the brainstem. Recently, 3 companies in China have completed phase III clinical trials of EV71 vaccines. However, the promotion and approval of these vaccines in various countries are problems yet to be resolved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.599-606
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• 2012

The characterization of the whole genome of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) from cervical cancer specimens with multiple infections in comparison with single infection samples as the oncogenic potential of the virus may differ. Cervical carcinoma specimens positive for HPV16 by PCR and INNO-LiPA were randomly selected for whole genome characterization. Two HPV16 single infection and six HPV16 multiple infection specimens were subjected to whole genome analysis by using conserved primers and subsequent sequencing. All HPV16 whole genomes from single infection samples clustered in the European (E) lineage while all multiple infection specimens belonged to the non-European lineage. The variations in nucleotide sequences in E6, E7, E2, L1 and Long control region (LCR) were evaluated. In the E6 region, amino acid changes at L83V were related to increased cancer progression. An amino acid variation N29S within the E7 oncoprotein significantly associated with severity of lesion was also discovered. In all three domains of the E2 gene non synonymous mutations were found. The L1 region showed various mutations which may be related to conformation changes of viral epitopes. Some transcription factor binding sites in the LCR region correlated to virulence were shown on GRE/1, TEF-1, YY14 and Oct-1. HPV16 European variant prone to single infection may harbor a major variation at L83V which significantly increases the risk for developing cervical carcinoma. HPV16 non-European variants prone to multiple infections may require many polymorphisms to enhance the risk of cervical cancer development.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 2016

Ebola virus disease is a lethal viral hemorrhagic fever that has been boiling in sub-Saharan Africa since 1970s. Last year, The Ebola virus epidemic that has spread not only mainly in West Africa, but also in locals such as USA, Europe and the Antipodes via infected travelers, was brought up. Human-to-human transmission of Ebola virus disease is known only through direct contact with the blood, secretions, tissues or other bodily fluids, including saliva. Although there has not been reported infection cases in the dental healthcare settings, the fact that the infection of the Ebola virus may be made from human secretions such as saliva suggests that there is a high risk of infection for the Ebola virus of dental healthcare workers. Therefore, it is important dental healthcare workers to identify infection-suspected patients through the oral findings for infection prevention. This article will review the oral signs and symptoms of Ebola virus disease and discuss the pathogenesis, treatment and prevention. Furthermore, Infection control guidelines for oral healthcare workers are also proposed.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.52
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• pp.331.1-331.17
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• 2018

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection and is associated with the development of cervical cancer. The purpose of this report is to provide the literature evidences on selecting the HPV vaccine for national immunization program (NIP) in Korea. To complete these tasks, we reviewed domestic and foreign literature on the current status of HPV infection, efficacy and effectiveness of HPV vaccine, safety of vaccine and cost effectiveness analysis of vaccination business. Given that the median age of first sexual intercourse is continuing to fall, this may have serious implications for HPV infection and cervical cancer incidence at the age of 20s. The World Health Organization recommends that the HPV vaccination should be included in the NIP being implemented in each country. Both the bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines have a 90% or greater preventive efficacy on cervical intraepithelial lesion 2-3 and cervical cancer by the HPV 16 or HPV 18. In the future, if HPV vaccination rate as part of NIP increases, it is expected that the incidence of HPV infection, genital warts, and cervical precancerous lesions will be decreased in the vaccination age group. Therefore, in order to increase the HPV vaccination rate at this point in Korea, social consensus and efforts such as the introduction and promotion of HPV vaccine to the NIP according to appropriate cost-effectiveness analysis are required.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.348-352
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• 2013

microRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. miRNA expression in human is becoming recognized as a new molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis. microRNA-34a (miR-34a), a member of the p53 network, was found to be regulated in multiple types of tumor. The purpose of this study was to define roles of miR-34a expression in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia with human papillomavirus infection, and its relationship with p53 protein expression. This study was performed to analyze expression of miR-34a by using qRT-PCR, and to evaluate p53 protein expression by using immunohistochemistry in 40 cases. Down-regulation of miR-34a expression was detected in 27 (67.5%) out of 40 cases and Immunoreactivity for p53 was found in 17 (42.5%) out of 40 cases. Nineteen (82.6%) of the 23 cases with a negative p53 expression showed a down-regulation miR-34a expression, there was a significant associations between miR-34a and p53 protein expression (P=0.04). These results suggest that miRNA-34a expression tend to be reduced depending on the advanced histologic grade, and down-regulation of miR-34a expression might be associated with inactivation of p53 protein expression by human papillomavirus infection.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.290-297
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• 2018

We aimed to understand the molecular changes in host cells that accompany infection by the seasonal influenza A H1N1 virus because the initial response rapidly changes owing to the fact that the virus has a robust initial propagation phase. Human epithelial alveolar A549 cells were infected and total RNA was extracted at 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 24 h, and 48 h post infection (h.p.i.). The differentially expressed host genes were clustered into two distinct sets of genes as the infection progressed over time. The patterns of expression were significantly different at the early stages of infection. One of the responses showed roles similar to those associated with the enrichment gene sets to known 'gp120 pathway in HIV.' This gene set contains genes known to play roles in preventing the progress of apoptosis, which infected cells undergo as a response to viral infection. The other gene set showed enrichment of 'Drug Metabolism Enzymes (DMEs).' The identification of two distinct gene sets indicates that the virus regulates the cell's mechanisms to create a favorable environment for its stable replication and protection of gene metabolites within 8 h.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2005

Deep neck infections mean infection in the potential spaces and facial planes of the neck, either abscess formation or cellulitis. Deep neck infections are caused by dental, salivary gland, pharyngeal and tonsillar infections. Sometimes, deep neck infection may be caused by tuberculosis in case of immunodefiecient patients. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS) is a disease associated with defective cell-mediated immunity after infected with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV). The chance of opportunistic infection in patients of AIDS increases as the level of immunodeficienty progresses. Human immunodeficiency virus infection is the most single significant risk factor for progression of pulmonary tuberculosis to extrapulmonary sites. In patients infected with HIV, the rate of extrapulomonary tuberculosis rises upto $60\%$. We report a case of a 47 year old male patient with AIDS associated with deep neck infection by tuberculosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.269-273
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• 2012

We aimed to estimate the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in women of high socioeconomic status (SES) in Seoul, Republic of Korea and to identify risk factors. This study included 13,386 women visiting a prestigious healthcare center located in Seoul between 2003 and 2008. High-risk HPV infections were detected in 994 (7%) and the age-standardized prevalence was 8%. Abnormal Pap smear results ${\geq}$ atypical squamous cells of unknown significance (ASCUS) were observed in 280 of 12,080 women (2%). Based on univariate analysis, age, level of education and number of children were associated with high-risk HPV infections. Based on multivariate analysis, age and high-risk HPV infections had an inverse relationship. In women with high SES in Seoul, the prevalence of high-risk HPV infection was 7% and the age-standardized prevalence was 8%. Age was a strong determinant of high-risk HPV infection.