Research Interests: Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Developmental Biology, Climate Change, Computational Biology, and 15 moreBiotechnology, Cancer, Biology, Cell Cycle, Drug Discovery, Astrophysics, Astronomy, DNA, Cell line, Animals, Cell Signalling, Cell Proliferation, Benzamides, Adenosine Triphosphate, and Cell Membrane
Central venous oxygen saturation has been shown to reflect the adequacy of tissue oxygenation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), thereby enabling the assessment of CPR quality and the prediction of restoration of spontaneous... more
Central venous oxygen saturation has been shown to reflect the adequacy of tissue oxygenation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), thereby enabling the assessment of CPR quality and the prediction of restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The femoral vein can be easily accessed during CPR. We determined if femoral venous oxygen saturation (SFVO2) values obtained during CPR could reliably predict ROSC in a pig model. After 15 minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation followed by 8 minutes of basic life support, 19 pigs underwent advanced cardiovascular life support. During advanced cardiovascular life support, femoral venous blood samples were obtained at 4-minute intervals. The abilities of SFVO2 and coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) to predict ROSC were evaluated by calculating the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs). Eight pigs (42.1%) achieved ROSC. The resuscitated animals had significantly higher CPP (P < .001) and SFVO2 (P < .00...
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Meningiomas are rare in children. Chordoid meningioma is a very rare variant, as only 16 cases in children have been reported. The authors report the first case of a chordoid meningioma in the third ventricle. A 12-year-old boy presented... more
Meningiomas are rare in children. Chordoid meningioma is a very rare variant, as only 16 cases in children have been reported. The authors report the first case of a chordoid meningioma in the third ventricle. A 12-year-old boy presented with headache, abnormal behaviors, and ataxia. Brain MR imaging revealed a 2-cm, well-enhanced mass in the third ventricle and hydrocephalus. Positron emission tomography with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose showed that the mass was hypermetabolic. Gross-total removal of the mass was performed using a left frontal transcortical and transventricular approach. The mass originated from the left caudate head and was connected to the choroid plexus. A chordoid meningioma was diagnosed on the basis of the histological characteristics of the tumor, which was composed of cords and nests of eosinophilic vacuolated cells with an abundant myxoid matrix, similar to the features of a chordoma. A typical focal meningiomatous pattern was observed. The tumor cells were imm...
Research Interests: Immunohistochemistry, Case Report, Humans, Child, Male, and 5 moreMucin, Meningioma, Choroid Plexus, Chordoma, and Vimentin
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Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) plays a crucial role in the assessment and treatment of low-grade gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma; however, interobserver variation, inadequate accuracy in judging the depth of tumor... more
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) plays a crucial role in the assessment and treatment of low-grade gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma; however, interobserver variation, inadequate accuracy in judging the depth of tumor invasion, and histological heterogeneity of the tumor can limit its role. Thus, we have assessed the role of (18)F-FDG PET scans in the management of Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric MALT lymphoma. Eighteen patients with H. pylori-infected low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma underwent an (18)F-FDG PET scan prior to receiving H. pylori eradication therapy. We analyzed these patients' clinicopathologic data and measured the baseline and change in the metabolic activity of the tumor using standardized uptake values (SUVs). Two patients failed to achieve complete remission of the low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma after successful H. pylori eradication. The baseline SUVs were significantly higher in these patients compared to successfully treated patien...
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ABSTRACT Objective: Do plasma granulocyte elastase levels in liver cirrhosis influence D-dimer levels?Setting: University Hospital.Materials: We investigated plasma granulocyte elastase levels in 65 patients with liver cirrhosis and... more
ABSTRACT Objective: Do plasma granulocyte elastase levels in liver cirrhosis influence D-dimer levels?Setting: University Hospital.Materials: We investigated plasma granulocyte elastase levels in 65 patients with liver cirrhosis and related it to D-dimer levels determined by enzyme linked immunoassay. Granulocyte elastase was carried out by heterogenous enzyme immunoassay using polymorphonuclear Elastase kit (Diagnostica Merck, Darmstadt, Germany).Results: The mean plasma levels of elastase (175.4 μg/l) and D-dimer (2732.7 μg/l) were significantly increased in patients with cirrhosis as compared to levels of normal subjects (elastase: 22 μg/l; D-dimer: 276 μg/l). There was no significant difference of elastase levels among Child classes (P =0.010) and etiology of cirrhosis (P =0.007). D-dimer levels were significantly different among different Child groups (P =0.020). Plasma elastase levels were positively correlated with D-dimer levels (r=0.437, P&lt; 0.001).Conclusions: We have demonstrated a marked increase of granulocyte elastase and its relation to plasma D-dimer levels in patients with cirrhosis. This findings suggest that accelerated fibrinolysis in cirrhosis may be associated with cellular neutrophil activation and elevated granulocyte elastase level may be partially responsible for elevated D-dimer in cirrhosis.
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Edible films have been applied to food packaging. To examine a new edible film source from underutilized food processing byproducts, rice bran protein (RBP) was isolated from rice bran oil residues and the RBP films were prepared. The... more
Edible films have been applied to food packaging. To examine a new edible film source from underutilized food processing byproducts, rice bran protein (RBP) was isolated from rice bran oil residues and the RBP films were prepared. The suitable plasticizer for the preparation of the RBP film was fructose, and the tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break of the
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Functional dyspepsia is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders encountered in clinical practice. Functional dyspepsia is currently defined by Rome III criteria as the chronic dyspeptic symptoms (postprandial fullness, early... more
Functional dyspepsia is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders encountered in clinical practice. Functional dyspepsia is currently defined by Rome III criteria as the chronic dyspeptic symptoms (postprandial fullness, early satiety, epigastric pain or burning) in the absence of underling structural or metabolic disease that readily explain the symptoms. According to the Rome III consensus, functional dyspepsia can be subdivided into postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS). Although the Rome III criteria have been published more than 8 years ago, not much effort has been put into validating these criteria and direct scientific evidence supporting the validity of the subdividing functional dyspepsia into PDS and EPS are lacking. This article is intended to review the validity of the Rome III criteria on the subdivisions of functional dyspepsia, i.e. PDS and EPS. The impact of sleep disorder, Helicobacter pylori-associated dyspepsia, and the e...
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To elucidate the mechanism of pressure-induced denaturation of mushroom polyphenoloxidase (PPO), the enzyme was treated under 600 and 800 MPa, respectively, and its molecular properties such as secondary and tertiary structure were... more
To elucidate the mechanism of pressure-induced denaturation of mushroom polyphenoloxidase (PPO), the enzyme was treated under 600 and 800 MPa, respectively, and its molecular properties such as secondary and tertiary structure were examined. High-pressure inactivation of the enzyme increased with pressure level and treatment time. Circular dichroism study showed that high-pressure treatment decreased the negative ellipticity values in the range
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In our previous studies of nanocalcium carbonate, in which we performed physicochemical analysis, genotoxicity, acute single-dose and repeated-dose 14-day oral toxicity testings in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, nanocalcium carbonate did not... more
In our previous studies of nanocalcium carbonate, in which we performed physicochemical analysis, genotoxicity, acute single-dose and repeated-dose 14-day oral toxicity testings in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, nanocalcium carbonate did not show a difference in toxicity compared to vehicle control. Here, we provide the first report of a repeated-dose 90-day oral toxicity test of nanocalcium carbonate in Sprague-Dawley rats, with physicochemical comparison of micro and nanocalcium carbonate. We find that the two particles differ in size, hydrodynamic size, and specific surface area, with no differences in components, crystalline structure and radical production. In terms of ionization ability, nanocalcium carbonate was slightly more ionized within 1% than microcalcium carbonate at pH 5 and pH 7. In the repeated-dose 90-day oral toxicity test of nanocalcium carbonate, there was no significant toxicity, and similar blood concentrations of Ca(2+) compared to the vehicle control group. Based...
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The Division of Vaccine-Preventable Disease Control and National Immunization Program of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prepared a plan of action as a guide for key actions that will be taken if a poliovirus... more
The Division of Vaccine-Preventable Disease Control and National Immunization Program of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prepared a plan of action as a guide for key actions that will be taken if a poliovirus outbreak occurs in the Republic of Korea. The history of poliomyelitis and vaccination against poliovirus in the nation was reviewed and the routine surveillance procedures that are currently in place were described. The principles and specific actions for an effective response to a poliovirus outbreak were prepared. The guidelines clearly outline the actions to be taken in case of a polio outbreak. When a suspected case of poliovirus infection is reported, an immediate epidemiological investigation is to be conducted. The response to a poliovirus outbreak includes case isolation, management of potential contacts and immunization. All stakeholders are to be made aware of what key actions should be taken at each stage of the response to a poliovirus outbreak in the nation.
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Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor; however, glioblastoma in children is less common than in adults, and little is known about its clinical outcome in children. The authors evaluated the long-term outcome of... more
Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor; however, glioblastoma in children is less common than in adults, and little is known about its clinical outcome in children. The authors evaluated the long-term outcome of glioblastoma in children. Twenty-seven children were confirmed to have harbored a glioblastoma between 1985 and 2007. The clinical features and treatment outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent resection; complete resection was performed in 12 patients (44%), subtotal resection in 12 patients (44%), and biopsy in 3 patients (11%). Twenty-four patients (89%) had radiation therapy, and 14 (52%) patients received chemotherapy plus radiation therapy. Among the latter, 5 patients had radiation therapy concurrent with temozolomide chemotherapy. Four patients with small-size recurrent glioblastoma received stereotactic radiosurgery. The median overall survival (OS) was 43 months, and the median progression-free survival was 12 months. The OS rate was 67% at 1 year, 52% at 2 years, and 40% at 5 years. The median OS was significantly associated with tumor location (52 months for superficially located tumors vs 7 months for deeply located tumors; p = 0.017) and extent of removal (106 months for completely resected tumors vs 11 months for incompletely resected tumors; p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.0001). The prognosis of glioblastoma is better in children than in adults. Radical resection followed by concurrent chemoradiation therapy may be the initial treatment of choice.
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During the evolution of neoplastic diseases, dendritic cell (DC) functions are usually attenuated, and this presents a problem to DC-based immunotherapies against cancer. Here, we investigated the effects of angelan, an acidic... more
During the evolution of neoplastic diseases, dendritic cell (DC) functions are usually attenuated, and this presents a problem to DC-based immunotherapies against cancer. Here, we investigated the effects of angelan, an acidic polysaccharide isolated from Angelica gigas Nakai, on DC maturation. Angelan efficiently increased the maturation of tlr4+/+ DCs from C57BL/6 and C3H/HeN mice, but not tlr4−/− DCs from C3H/HeJ
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Effect of fumaric acid, chlorine dioxide (ClO2), and UV-C treatment was examined on the inactivation of microorganisms in alfalfa and clover sprouts. Clover sprouts were irradiated with UV-C light (1–10kJ/m2), and the treatment decreased... more
Effect of fumaric acid, chlorine dioxide (ClO2), and UV-C treatment was examined on the inactivation of microorganisms in alfalfa and clover sprouts. Clover sprouts were irradiated with UV-C light (1–10kJ/m2), and the treatment decreased the population of total aerobic bacteria by 1.03–1.45logCFU/g. Clover sprouts inoculated with pathogenic bacteria were treated with various concentration of fumaric acid, and 0.5g/100ml fumaric acid
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Esophageal thermal injury caused by food has been reported to occur mostly after drinking hot liquid food, and is known to produce alternating white and red linear mucosal bands. In addition, thermal injury caused by ingestion of hot... more
Esophageal thermal injury caused by food has been reported to occur mostly after drinking hot liquid food, and is known to produce alternating white and red linear mucosal bands. In addition, thermal injury caused by ingestion of hot solid foods is documented to be a cause of esophageal ulcers or pseudomembranes. From January 2006 to August 2012, five patients with suspected esophageal thermal injury underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy. A "candy-cane" appearance was observed in one case, pseudomembrane was observed in two cases, an esophageal ulcer was observed in one case, and a friable and edematous mucosa was noted in one case. We believe that the endoscopic findings of esophageal thermal injury depend on the following factors: causative materials, amount of food consumed, exposure period, and time to endoscopy after the incident. Therefore, physicians who encounter patients with suspected esophageal thermal injury should carefully take the patient's hi...
Acute mediastinitis is a fatal disease that usually originates from esophageal perforation and surgical infection. Rare cases of descending necrotizing mediastinitis can occur following oral cavity and pharynx infection or can be a... more
Acute mediastinitis is a fatal disease that usually originates from esophageal perforation and surgical infection. Rare cases of descending necrotizing mediastinitis can occur following oral cavity and pharynx infection or can be a complication of pancreatitis. The most common thoracic complications of pancreatic disease are reactive pleural effusion and pneumonia, while rare complications include thoracic conditions, such as pancreaticopleural fistula with massive pleural effusion or hemothorax and extension of pseudocyst into the mediastinum. There have been no reports of acute mediastinitis originating from pancreatitis in South Korea. In this report, we present the case of a 50-year-old female suffering from acute mediastinitis with pleural effusion arising from recurrent pancreatitis that improved after surgical intervention.
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The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles has resulted in their widespread use in many consumer products. Yet, despite their many advantages, it is also important to determine whether silver nanoparticles may represent a hazard... more
The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles has resulted in their widespread use in many consumer products. Yet, despite their many advantages, it is also important to determine whether silver nanoparticles may represent a hazard to the environment and human health. Thus, to evaluate the genotoxic potential of silver nanoparticles, in vivo genotoxicity testing (OECD 474, in vivo micronuclei test) was conducted after exposing male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to silver nanoparticles by inhalation for 90 days according to OECD test guideline 413 (Subchronic Inhalation Toxicity: 90 Day Study) with a good laboratory practice system. The rats were exposed to silver nanoparticles (18 nm diameter) at concentrations of 0.7 × 10(6) particles/cm(3) (low dose), 1.4 × 10(6) particles/cm(3) (middle dose), and 2.9 × 10(6) particles/cm(3) (high dose) for 6 hr/day in an inhalation chamber for 90 days. The rats were killed 24 hr after the last administration, then the femurs were removed an...
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Silver nanoparticles are known to be distributed in many tissues after oral or inhalation exposure. Thus, understanding the tissue clearance of such distributed nanoparticles is very important to understand the behavior of silver... more
Silver nanoparticles are known to be distributed in many tissues after oral or inhalation exposure. Thus, understanding the tissue clearance of such distributed nanoparticles is very important to understand the behavior of silver nanoparticles in vivo. For risk assessment purposes, easy clearance indicates a lower overall cumulative toxicity. Accordingly, to investigate the clearance of tissue silver concentrations following oral silver nanoparticle exposure, Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 3 groups: control, low dose (100 mg/kg body weight), and high dose (500 mg/kg body weight), and exposed to two different sizes of silver nanoparticles (average diameter 10 and 25 nm) over 28 days. Thereafter, the rats were allowed to recover for 4 months. Regardless of the silver nanoparticle size, the silver content in most tissues gradually decreased during the 4-month recovery period, indicating tissue clearance of the accumulated silver. The exceptions were the silver concentrations in t...
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It is well-known that patients with chronic liver disease commonly have nutritional deficiency. In the present study, we investigated the differences in malnutrition risk between patients with liver cirrhosis and viral hepatitis carrier.... more
It is well-known that patients with chronic liver disease commonly have nutritional deficiency. In the present study, we investigated the differences in malnutrition risk between patients with liver cirrhosis and viral hepatitis carrier. Patients with chronic liver disease who have been hospitalized at Konyang University Hospital from May 2012 to April 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. The malnutrition risk was divided into three categories (low, intermediate, and high) according to Konyang University Hospital Malnutrition Screening, which include BMI, serum albumin, total lymphocyte count (TLC), hemoglobin, weight change, appetite, and dysphagia, within 24 hours of hospitalization. Among a total of 460 patients, 313 had liver cirrhosis (LC), and 147 were viral hepatitis carriers. Age (p<0.001), serum albumin level (p<0.001), TLC (p=0.011), hemoglobin (p<0.001) and serum cholesterol level (p=0.005) were significant different between the two groups. However, there were no ...
The specific properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), such as antimicrobial activity and electrical conductivity, allow them to be used in many fields. However, their expanding application is also raising health, environmental and... more
The specific properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), such as antimicrobial activity and electrical conductivity, allow them to be used in many fields. However, their expanding application is also raising health, environmental and safety concerns. Previous in vivo AgNP toxicity studies have indicated a gender-different accumulation of silver in the kidneys, with 2-3 times more silver in female kidneys compared to male kidneys. However, no other studies have further addressed this gender difference. Accordingly, the current study investigated the gender-dependent effect of AgNPs on the kidney gene level based on toxicogenomic studies of kidneys obtained from rats exposed to AgNPs via inhalation for 12 weeks. When compared with the fresh air control, the silver nanoparticle-exposed kidneys included 104 genes with a more than 1.3-fold expression increase. For the male rat kidneys exposed to a low or high dose of silver nanoparticles, 96 genes exhibited expression changes, where six genes changed with both the low and high dose; four increased and two decreased. Meanwhile, for the female rat kidneys exposed to a low or high dose of silver nanoparticles, 66 genes exhibited expression changes, where 11 genes changed with both the low and high dose; nine increased and two decreased. Gender-dependent gene expression changes of more than 2-fold were linked to 163 genes, with 79 genes in the male kidneys and 84 genes in the female kidneys, plus gender-dependent gene expression changes of more than 5-fold were linked to 21 genes. However, no genes involved in apoptosis or the cell cycle were activated by the 12-week silver nanoparticle inhalation exposure. Overall, the male rat kidneys showed a higher expression of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, while the female rat kidneys showed a higher expression of genes involved in extracellular signaling.
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Cytosolic proteins of Schizosaccharomyces pombe were separated by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis, to construct the first 2-D reference map. In the pI range 4-7, more than 500 spots were detected by silver staining, and 70... more
Cytosolic proteins of Schizosaccharomyces pombe were separated by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis, to construct the first 2-D reference map. In the pI range 4-7, more than 500 spots were detected by silver staining, and 70 different proteins corresponding to 111 spots were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry, where necessary. In the pI range 6-9, approximately 330 spots were detected, and 31 proteins corresponding to 38 spots were identified by mass spectrometry. More than 50% of the identified proteins were involved in amino acid, carbohydrate or nucleotide metabolism, and energy production. A second large group of identified proteins comprises heat shock and other stress related proteins and chaperones.
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Research Interests: Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, and 55 moreMarine Biology, Neuroscience, Environmental Science, Geophysics, Physics, Materials Science, Quantum Physics, Developmental Biology, Immunology, Climate Change, Molecular Biology, Structural Biology, Genomics, RNA, Computational Biology, Transcriptomics, Biotechnology, Systems Biology, Cancer, Biology, Metabolomics, Cell Cycle, Proteomics, Ecology, Drug Discovery, Evolution, Nanotechnology, Astrophysics, Neurobiology, Medicine, Multidisciplinary, Palaeobiology, Functional Genomics, Nature, Signal Transduction, Astronomy, DNA, Cell line, Humans, Mice, Animals, Cell Signalling, Medical Research, Kinase inhibitor, Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase, Neoplasms, Mechanism of action, Cell Proliferation, Pyrazoles, Therapeutic Use, Earth Science, Protein Kinase Inhibitors, Protein Transport, Benzamides, and Adenosine Triphosphate
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KRAS and BRAF activating mutations drive tumorigenesis through constitutive activation of the MAPK pathway. As these tumours represent an area of high unmet medical need, multiple allosteric MEK inhibitors, which inhibit MAPK signalling... more
KRAS and BRAF activating mutations drive tumorigenesis through constitutive activation of the MAPK pathway. As these tumours represent an area of high unmet medical need, multiple allosteric MEK inhibitors, which inhibit MAPK signalling in both genotypes, are being tested in clinical trials. Impressive single-agent activity in BRAF-mutant melanoma has been observed; however, efficacy has been far less robust in KRAS-mutant disease. Here we show that, owing to distinct mechanisms regulating MEK activation in KRAS- versus BRAF-driven tumours, different mechanisms of inhibition are required for optimal antitumour activity in each genotype. Structural and functional analysis illustrates that MEK inhibitors with superior efficacy in KRAS-driven tumours (GDC-0623 and G-573, the former currently in phase I clinical trials) form a strong hydrogen-bond interaction with S212 in MEK that is critical for blocking MEK feedback phosphorylation by wild-type RAF. Conversely, potent inhibition of active, phosphorylated MEK is required for strong inhibition of the MAPK pathway in BRAF-mutant tumours, resulting in superior efficacy in this genotype with GDC-0973 (also known as cobimetinib), a MEK inhibitor currently in phase III clinical trials. Our study highlights that differences in the activation state of MEK in KRAS-mutant tumours versus BRAF-mutant tumours can be exploited through the design of inhibitors that uniquely target these distinct activation states of MEK. These inhibitors are currently being evaluated in clinical trials to determine whether improvements in therapeutic index within KRAS versus BRAF preclinical models translate to improved clinical responses in patients.
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Research Interests: Genetics, Immunology, Cytokines, Inflammation, Gene expression, and 14 moreSignal Transduction, Toll like receptor signaling, Molecular, Cercopithecus aethiops, Molecular Immunology, Humans, Endothelial Cells, Mice, Animals, Kinase inhibitor, Transfection, Protein Kinase, MAP Kinase, and Gene Expression Regulation
This work presents variation of oxidative catalytic activities of methanol and formic acid on Pt nanoparticles of various sizes and a comparison to the results observed on Pt(111), Pt(100), and polycrystalline Pt. The Pt nanoparticles... more
This work presents variation of oxidative catalytic activities of methanol and formic acid on Pt nanoparticles of various sizes and a comparison to the results observed on Pt(111), Pt(100), and polycrystalline Pt. The Pt nanoparticles dispersed on platelet carbon nanofiber are cuboctahedral particles, whose sizes span from 5.6 to 1.1 nm. The electrochemically active surface areas, measured using charges of hydrogen adsorption/desorption and stripping of adsorbed CO, are reasonably consistent with those calculated theoretically with a simple cuboctahedron model. However, Pt nanoparticles with extremely small size (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;1.8 nm) aggregate to reduce their surface areas. The size effect of Pt nanoparticles in oxidation of methanol and formic acid is discussed in terms of specific activity (current per unit surface area) and mass activity (current per unit mass).
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As a result of the high rate of infection, the NKF-K/DOQI guidelines recommended that an uncuffed catheter (UC) should not be used for longer than three weeks. However, the findings of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study... more
As a result of the high rate of infection, the NKF-K/DOQI guidelines recommended that an uncuffed catheter (UC) should not be used for longer than three weeks. However, the findings of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study recognized that 48% of new hemodialysis patients in the US and 75% in Europe used UC for temporary access during arteriovenous fistula or graft maturation. The antibiotic lock technique (ALT) has been recommended to prevent catheter-related bacteremia (CRB). Here, we prospectively evaluated the efficacy of catheter-restricted filling using an antibiotic lock solution in preventing CRB. A total of 120 new hemodialysis patients requiring a temporary catheter while waiting for placement and maturation of an arteriovenous fistula or graft were enrolled in this study. Patients with a UC were randomly assigned to receive either an antibiotic-heparin lock solution (antibiotic group: cefazolin 10 mg/ml, gentamicin 5 mg/ml, heparin 1000 U/ml) or a heparin lock solution (no-antibiotic group: heparin 1000 U/ml) as a catheter lock solution during the interdialytic period. The end point of the trial was CRB. CRB developed in seven (11.7%) patients in the no-antibiotic group (Staphylococcus aureus, two; Staphylococcus epidermidis, five) whereas only one patient in the antibiotic group had S. aureus bacteremia. CRB rates per 1000 catheter-days were 0.44 in the antibiotic group versus 3.12 in the no-antibiotic group (P=0.031). Kaplan-Meier analysis also showed that mean CRB-free catheter survival of 59 days (95% CI, 58-61 days) in the antibiotic group was greater than that in the no-antibiotic group (55 days; 95% CI, 50-59 days). The results suggest that ALT may be a beneficial means of reducing the CRB rate in hemodialysis patients with UC.
Research Interests: Nephrology, Urology, Dialysis, Prevention, Catheterization, and 18 moreProspective studies, Humans, Kidney, Female, Hemodialysis, Male, Staphylococcus aureus, Technique, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Clinical Sciences, Aged, Middle Aged, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Kaplan-Meier, Adult, Bacteremia, Randomized Clinical Trial, and Renal Dialysis
We present a patient with phakomatosis pigmentovascularis (PPV) type IIb accompanied with venous hypoplasia, from the inferior vena cava to the superficial femoral vein. Although it is not obvious whether this vascular anomaly, which is... more
We present a patient with phakomatosis pigmentovascularis (PPV) type IIb accompanied with venous hypoplasia, from the inferior vena cava to the superficial femoral vein. Although it is not obvious whether this vascular anomaly, which is probably congenital, is coincidental or not, it is possible that the 2 diseases have some relationship each other, because PPV is thought to result from abnormal vasomotor activity during the embryonic period. In the diagnosis of type II PPV, careful examination and several studies are required to determine systemic involvement that may include large vessel changes.
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Page 1. Fabrication of highly porous poly (e-caprolactone) microfibers via electrospinning Yun-A Seo Hem Raj Pant R. Nirmala Ji-Hui Lee Kyung Geun Song Hak Yong Kim Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 ...
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The antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles has resulted in their extensive application in health, electronic, and home products. Thus, the exposed population continues to increase as the applications expand. Although previous... more
The antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles has resulted in their extensive application in health, electronic, and home products. Thus, the exposed population continues to increase as the applications expand. Although previous studies on silver dust, fumes, and silver compounds have revealed some insights, little is yet known about the toxicity of nano-sized silver particles, where the size and surface area are recognized as important determinants for toxicity. Thus, the inhalation toxicity of silver nanoparticles is of particular concern to ensure the health of workers and consumers. However, the dispersion of inhalable ambient nano-sized particles has been an obstacle in evaluating the effect of the inhalation of nano-sized particles on the respiratory system. Accordingly, the present study used a device that generates silver nanoparticles by evaporation/condensation using a small ceramic heater. As such, the generator was able to distribute the desired concentrations of silver nanoparticles to chambers containing experimental animals. The concentrations and distribution of the nanoparticles with respect to size were also measured directly using a differential mobility analyzer and ultrafine condensation particle counter. Therefore, the inhalation toxicity of silver nanoparticles was tested over a period of 28 days. Eight-week-old rats, weighing about 283 g for the males and 192 g for the females, were divided into 4 groups (10 rats in each group): a fresh-air control, a low-dose group (1.73 x 10(4)/cm3), a middle-dose group (1.27 x 10(5)/cm3), and a high-dose group (1.32 x 10(6) particles/cm3, 61 microg/m3). The animals were exposed to the silver nanoparticles for 6 h/day, 5 days/wk, for a total of 4 wk. The male and female rats did not show any significant changes in body weight relative to the concentration of silver nanoparticles during the 28-day experiment. Plus, there were no significant changes in the hematology and blood biochemical values in either the male or female rats. Therefore, the initial results indicated that exposure to silver nanoparticles at a concentration near the current American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) silver dust limit (100 microg/m3) did not appear to have any significant health effects.
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A case of disseminated extrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurring after ultrasound (US)-guided biopsy and percutaneous ethanol injection therapy is presented. A 72-year-old man with hepatitis-C-virus-related cirrhosis underwent... more
A case of disseminated extrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurring after ultrasound (US)-guided biopsy and percutaneous ethanol injection therapy is presented. A 72-year-old man with hepatitis-C-virus-related cirrhosis underwent percutanous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) two times with complete remission: the first for moderately-differentiated HCC in segment six (S6), and the second for well-differentiated HCC in another part of S6. Imaging studies including carbon dioxide (CO(2))-US angiography, incremental computed tomography, and dynamic magnet resonance imaging showed that both HCCs were hypovascular. Twenty-one months after the first PEIT and 7 months after the second, a 5.5x4.5 cm extrahepatic mass interfaced with S6 of the liver was detected by imaging studies. The patient underwent surgery for extrahepatic HCC. Grossly, the main tumor was 5.5x4.5 cm with capsule and septum; the disseminated tumors were detected on the surface of the liver, including the right diaphragm and the falx ligamentosa. Histologically, it was moderately- to poorly-differentiated HCC, which, although not attributed to direct track seeding, was suspected of being induced by the percutaneous US-guided biopsy procedure or by PEIT, irrespective of a hypovascular tumor. Further studies may provide insight into the risk factor engendered by these procedures.
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A recent placebo-controlled trial showed that rebamipide, which is a mucosal-protective antiulcer agent, promoted gastric ulcer healing without affecting the Helicobacter pylori status. We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial to... more
A recent placebo-controlled trial showed that rebamipide, which is a mucosal-protective antiulcer agent, promoted gastric ulcer healing without affecting the Helicobacter pylori status. We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial to compare the healing effects of rebamipide and the proton-pump inhibitor omeprazole in H. pylori-positive gastric ulcers after H. pylori eradication therapy. After completion of 1 week of eradication therapy, 132 patients with H. pylori-positive gastric ulcer were enrolled in 5 Chinese and 4 Korean institutions. Patients were randomly assigned to take either 20 mg of omeprazole (n = 63) or 300 mg of rebamipide (n = 65) daily for 7 weeks. Healing was defined as complete recovery and S1 and S2 stage ulcer according to the Sakita-Miwa classification. Healing rates at 12 weeks were 81.5% (53/65) and 82.5% (52/63) in the rebamipide and omeprazole groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in treatment efficacy, as evidenced by gastric ulcer healing rates (absolute difference -1.0%; 95% confidence interval -10.7 to 8.7; p = 0.88). The H. pylori eradication rate and ulcer healing rate did not differ between the groups, the latter regardless of eradication outcome. Rebamipide is as effective as omeprazole in treating of H. pylori-positive gastric ulcer after eradication therapy.