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Biomedical subjects

J-H Kim

Publications and source records attributed to J-H Kim.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Complete single-stage management of left colon cancer obstruction with a new device.

BACKGROUND: A newly developed device that enables easy intraoperative colonic irrigation and subsequent colonoscopy was introduced recently. METHODS: To evaluate the efficacy of the single-stage procedure with a new device and the significance of on-table colonoscopy, 112 patients with obstructive left colon cancer were recruited. RESULTS: Primary anastomosis after tumor resection was performed in 104 cases. The volume of saline used for irrigation averaged 13.5 l over 12.1 min. Subsequent colonoscopic examination added an average of 10.4 min to the operative time. There were three anastomotic leaks, two wound infections, four acute renal failures, and two operative mortalities. On-table colonoscopy resulted in extended resection in 17 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The new device enabled safe, simple, and time-saving, single-stage surgical management of left colon cancer obstruction. The ability to perform on-table colonoscopy enabled treatment and recognition of synchronous bowel pathology.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Epidemiological characteristics of rabies in South Korea from 1993 to 2001.

In the nine years from 1993 to 2001, 210 cases of rabies were recorded in domestic animals in South Korea; 115 cattle, 94 dogs and one farmed deer were affected. The annual incidence of rabies cases increased to a peak of 64 in 1998, and then decreased to about 30 cases per year. The cases were confined to the northern part of Kyounggi and Kangwon provinces. One hundred and forty-six cases (69.5 per cent) occurred in Kyounggi and 64 cases (30.5 per cent) in Kangwon province, and about 82 per cent of them were confined to two counties in Kyounggi province (29 per cent in Paju and 28.1 per cent in Younchun) and to Chulwon county in Kangwon province (25.2 per cent). However, over several years the outbreaks gradually moved south and east in both Kyounggi and Kangwon provinces. There were more rabies cases in cattle than in dogs, suggesting that the disease is transmitted by the sylvatic cycle. To investigate the relationship between rabies in domestic animals and wild animals, 107 wild animals, including Korean raccoon dogs, badgers, weasels and feral cats, were tested for rabies; 21 of the 67 Korean raccoon dogs tested (31 per cent) were infected. The cases in domestic animals were most common in winter, from December to February, and least common in summer, from June to September.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Cerebral neurocytoma without ganglion cell differentiation.

Neurocytomas are rare neuronal tumours, and are defined as tumours comprising cells with neuronal differentiation; they commonly arise in the ventricles. We report a case of a cerebral neurocytoma in a young man who presented with hemiparesis. The tumour was a radiologically a well-circumscribed large cyst with solid mass; the histopathology showed a well-differentiated lesion comprising uniform, round cells with perinuclear halos in a neuropil background, and immunohistochemically positive for neuronal markers (synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase and neurofilaments). We suggest that cerebral neurocytomas should be considered among the uncommon causes of a large intra-axial cystic mass with a solid component in young adults.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Chemical coupling of photocatalysis with flocculation and adsorption in the removal of organic matter.

An experimental investigation was made to study the effects of chemical coupling of flocculation and adsorption with photocatalysis in treating persistent organic pollutants in wastewater. The photocatalysis alone showed initial reverse reaction when titanium oxide (TiO(2)) was used in catalysis. The effect of the pretreatment of adsorption with powdered activated carbon (PAC) on photocatalysis was studied. The results showed that PAC adsorption followed by photocatalysis was not effective in alleviating reverse reaction. On the other hand, when PAC and TiO(2) were added simultaneously, the reverse reaction was eliminated. Further, the organic removal was also improved by simultaneous PAC and TiO(2) additions. When flocculation with ferric chloride (FeCl(3)) was used as pretreatment, the organic removal efficiency was superior. The initial reverse reaction was also eliminated/minimized. However, inadequate doses of FeCl(3) (less than 30 mgl(-1)) resulted in initial reverse reaction and inferior DOC removal.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2005

A prospective randomized study on the mobilization of CD34+ cells comparing continuous intravenous vs subcutaneous administration of rhG-CSF in normal donors.

The efficacy of mobilizing peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) with continuous intravenous (c.i.v.) administration of rhG-CSF was randomly compared to subcutaneous (s.c.) administration, in 15 normal donors in each arm of the study for 6 days. The percentage and absolute numbers of CD34+ cells in the c.i.v. and s.c. groups increased maximally at day 3 and 5, respectively, when compared with the steady-state (day 0) level. Peak CD34+ cell levels were achieved on day 3 in the c.i.v. group, with more rapid results than in the s.c. group (49.3/microl vs 35.9/microl, P=0.043). Plasma rhG-CSF levels declined progressively during mobilization in each group as the WBC increased. The serum level of rhG-CSF did not correlate with CD34+ cell counts in the peripheral blood. Toxicity profiles in the c.i.v. and s.c. groups were similar. Each regimen was effective in successfully mobilizing the target CD34 cell number.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Glucose as a hormone: receptor-mediated glucose sensing in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Because glucose is the principal carbon and energy source for most cells, most organisms have evolved numerous and sophisticated mechanisms for sensing glucose and responding to it appropriately. This is especially apparent in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where these regulatory mechanisms determine the distinctive fermentative metabolism of yeast, a lifestyle it shares with many kinds of tumour cells. Because energy generation by fermentation of glucose is inefficient, yeast cells must vigorously metabolize glucose. They do this, in part, by carefully regulating the first, rate-limiting step of glucose utilization: its transport. Yeast cells have learned how to sense the amount of glucose that is available and respond by expressing the most appropriate of its 17 glucose transporters. They do this through a signal transduction pathway that begins at the cell surface with the Snf3 and Rgt2 glucose sensors and ends in the nucleus with the Rgt1 transcription factor that regulates expression of genes encoding glucose transporters. We explain this glucose signal transduction pathway, and describe how it fits into a highly interconnected regulatory network of glucose sensing pathways that probably evolved to ensure rapid and sensitive response of the cell to changing levels of glucose.

Fermentation↗
PubMed2005

CD19 signalling improves the Epstein-Barr virus-induced immortalization of human B cell.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in vitro immortalizes primary B cells and generates B lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). These EBV-LCLs have been used for several purposes in immunological and genetic studies, but some trials involving these transformations fail for unknown reasons, and several EBV-LCLs do not grow in normal culture. In this study, we improved the immortalization method by CD19 and B-cell receptor (BCR) co-ligation. This method shortens the time required for the immortalization and generation of EBV-LCLs but does not alter the cell phenotype of the LCLs nor the expression of the EBV genes. In particular, the CD19 and BCR co-ligation method was found to be the most effective method examined. EBV-infected B cells induced by CD19 and/or BCR ligation expressed the intracellular latent membrane protein LMP-1 earlier than EBV-infected B cells, and the expression of intracellular LMP-1 was found to be closely related to the time of immortalization. These results suggest that the modified method, using CD19 and/or BCR ligation, may efficiently generate EBV-LCLs, by expressing intracellular LMP-1 at an early stage.

Antigens, CD19↗
PubMed2005

Cytopathic changes and pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by Naegleria fowleri trophozoites in rat microglial cells and protective effects of an anti-Nfa1 antibody.

Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba, causes fatal primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in experimental animals and humans. The nfa1 gene (360 bp) was previously cloned from a cDNA library of pathogenic N. fowleri by immunoscreening, and produced a 13.1-kDa recombinant protein that showed pseudopodia-specific localization by immunocytochemistry. On the basis of an idea that the pseudopodia-specific Nfa1 protein seems to be involved in the pathogenicity of N. fowleri, the cytopathic activity of N. fowleri trophozoites co-cultured with rat microglial cells was observed, and the effects of an anti-Nfa1 antibody in a co-culture system were elucidated. Using light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, it was seen that N. fowleri trophozoites in contact with microglial cells produced vigorous pseudopodia and a food-cup structure. Microglial cells were destroyed by N. fowleri trophozoites as seen from necrotic cell death in a time-dependent manner. In a(51)Cr release assay, N. fowleri showed 17.8%, 24.9%, 54.6% and 98% cytotoxicity against microglial cells at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h post-incubation, respectively. However, when anti-Nfa1 antibody was added in a coculture system, N. fowleri cytotoxicity was reduced to 15.5%, 20.3%, 46.7% and 66.9%, respectively. Moreover, microglial cells co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites secreted the pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6. In the presence of anti-Nfa1 antibody, the secretion of TNF-alpha was slightly, but not significantly, decreased.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Prognostic value of activated Akt expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Akt is a serine/threonine kinase that plays an important role in tumorigenesis and influences prognosis in several cancers. However, its importance in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) has not been elucidated. AIM: To investigate the association between the expression of activated Akt, clinicopathological factors, and E-cadherin, PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) expression to verify the validity of Akt as a prognostic factor in OSCC. METHODS: Phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), E-cadherin, PCNA, and VEGF expression were assessed immunohistochemically in 84 OSCCs. The results were analysed in relation to clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: p-Akt was expressed in 29 cases. It was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and E-cadherin expression. Univariate analysis showed that p-Akt expression, E-cadherin expression, PCNA expression, differentiation, tumour size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and recurrence correlated with prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that p-Akt expression is an independent prognostic factor in patients with OSCC. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that Akt activation is a significant prognostic indicator for OSCC and is correlated with E-cadherin expression. The inhibition of Akt is a possible molecular approach to the treatment of OSCC.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Highly pathogenic avian influenza in magpies (Pica pica sericea) in South Korea.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is an extremely infectious, systemic viral disease of birds that produces high mortality and morbidity. HPAI was diagnosed in the three dead magpies (Pica pica sericea) submitted to the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service. At necropsy, the prominent lesions were multifocal or coalescing necrosis of the pancreas with enlargement of the livers and spleens. Microscopically, there were severely necrotizing pancreatitis and lymphocytic meningoencephalitis. Influenza viral antigen was also detected in areas closely associated with histologic lesions. Avian influenza virus was isolated from cecal tonsils and feces of the magpies. The isolated virus was identified as a highly pathogenic H5N1, with hemagglutinin proteolytic cleavage site deduced amino acid sequence of QREKRKKR/GLFGAIAG. To determine the pathogenicity of the isolate, eight 6-wk-old specific-pathogen-free chickens were inoculated intravenously with the virus, and all birds died within 24 hr after inoculation. This is the first report of HPAI in magpies.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Atypical endoscopic features of rectal carcinoids.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: It is not normally difficult to diagnose carcinoid tumors (well-differentiated endocrine neoplasms) of the rectum endoscopically, as they usually have a characteristic appearance. However, little is known about the atypical endoscopic findings in some rectal carcinoids and the present study was performed to analyze these. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The endoscopic findings in 67 consecutive patients with rectal carcinoids (37 men, 30 women; age range 23 - 76) were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Tumor size ranged from 2 mm to 30 mm (average 7.4 mm). Of the 67 patients, 52 (78 %) displayed the characteristic endoscopic findings of smooth, round, sessile elevations covered with normal-appearing or yellow-discolored mucosa; in 15 (22 %) there were one or more atypical endoscopic findings. These included a semipedunculated appearance (n = 6), hyperemia (n = 5), a central depression (n = 6), erosion (n = 5), and ulceration (n = 4). Atypical findings were noted in none of 20 carcinoids &lambda< 5 mm in diameter; in six (20 %) of the 30 carcinoids between 5 mm and 9 mm; in six (43 %) of the 14 carcinoids between 10 mm and 19 mm; and in three (100 %) of the three carcinoids >/= 20 mm in diameter ( P < 0.001). Invasion into the muscularis propria or metastasis to the liver or lymph nodes occurred in three of the four patients with ulceration, but it was confirmed in only one of the 63 patients without ulceration ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Atypical endoscopic appearances of rectal carcinoids are observed more frequently as the size of the tumor increases and a finding of ulceration may have a prognostic value.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

A single institutional phase III trial of preoperative chemotherapy with hyperfractionation radiotherapy plus surgery versus surgery alone for resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing surgery alone (S) with concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery (CRT-S) for resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) based on our previous report. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and one patients with stage II/III esophageal SCC were randomized to receive either S (50 patients) or CRT-S (51 patients). The chemoradiotherapy (CRT) consisted of cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) intravenously (i.v.) on day 1, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 1000 mg/m(2) i.v. on days 2-5, cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 22 combined with radiation therapy (45.6 Gy, 1.2 Gy b.i.d. on days 1-28). Surgery was performed 3-4 weeks after radiotherapy was completed. For patients with disease that was stable or responsive to CRT, three additional cycles of chemotherapy (cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 1, 5-FU 1000 mg/m(2) on days 2-5 every 4 weeks) were given after surgical resection. RESULTS: The median age was 62 years. The toxicity of CRT was acceptable and did not affect the post-operative morbidity and the duration of hospital stay. Clinical response was 86% including 21% of complete response (CR) rate. Pathological CR was achieved in 43% [95% confidence interval (CI) 27-59] of the patients who underwent surgery after CRT. At a median follow-up of 25 months, median overall survival (OS) was 27.3 months in S and 28.2 months in CRT-S (P = 0.69). Event-free survival (EFS) at 2 years was 51% in S and 49% in CRT-S (P = 0.93). This trial, which was statistically powered to detect a relatively large difference in 2-year survival rate from 30% to 50% with 80% power, was discontinued at interim analysis because of the unexpectedly high drop-out rate for esophagectomy (31%) and resultant excessive locoregional failure rate in CRT-S arm (22% versus 12%, P = 0.31), though it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Although preoperative CRT induced high clinical and pathological response, there was no statistically significant benefit in OS and EFS.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Gene-gene interaction between interleukin-4 and interleukin-4 receptor alpha in Korean children with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ralpha), which binds IL-4 and IL-13, is involved in signal transduction of those cytokines that lead to IgE production, and is also a key functional component of the Th2 lymphocyte phenotype. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether IL-4 and IL-4Ralpha polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to asthma and whether there are gene-gene interactions between IL-4 and IL-4Ralpha polymorphisms. METHODS: We genotyped three groups of Korean children, consisting of 196 atopic asthmatics, 60 non-atopic asthmatics, and 100 healthy children, for an IL-4 promoter polymorphism (C-590T) and three IL-4Ralpha polymorphisms (Ile50Val, Pro478Ser, and Arg551Gln) using PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) assays. RESULTS: The allele frequencies of the IL-4 (C/T) polymorphism and the Ile50Val and Pro478Ser polymorphisms of IL-4Ralpha did not differ statistically among the three groups of children. For the Arg551Gln polymorphism, the combined genotype frequency of the Arg/Gln heterozygote and the Arg/Arg homozygote was significantly higher in atopic asthmatics (27.6%) than in healthy children (16.0%) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.97, 95% CI (confidence interval) = 1.07-3.71). The eosinophil fraction (%) and bronchial responsiveness were higher in children with the Arg/Gln and Arg/Arg genotype than in those with the Gln/Gln genotype (P = 0.036 and 0.024, respectively). In asthmatic children, combinations of the IL-4 CT/TT genotype and the IL-4Ralpha Arg/Gln and Arg/Arg genotypes were associated with significantly increased risk for development of asthma (OR = 3.70, 95% CI = 1.07-12.78, P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: In Korean children, the IL-4Ralpha Arg551 allele may play a role in susceptibility to atopic asthma and correlate with markers of asthma pathogenesis, including increased eosinophil fraction and enhanced bronchial hyper-responsiveness. In addition, a significant gene-gene interaction between the IL-4-590C and the IL-4Ralpha Arg551 allele significantly increases an individual's susceptibility to asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Pesticide poisoning events in wild birds in Korea from 1998 to 2002.

We describe cases of pesticide poisoning of wild birds diagnosed at the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (Kyunggi, Korea) from 1998 to 2002. Forty-one mortality events (759 birds) of 87 incidents (2,464 birds) investigated were associated with pesticide poisoning, and six organophosphates or carbamates were identified as being responsible for the poisoning. Phosphamidon was most frequently identified as the cause of poisoning, accounting for 23 mortality events. Other pesticides identified as poisons for birds were organophosphates monocrotophus, fenthion, parathion, EPN, and diazinon, and the carbamate carbofuran. Pesticide poisoning is a problem in wild birds in Korea.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Purification and characterization of arylsulfatase from Sphingomonas sp. AS6330.

Arylsulfatase was purified from Sphingomonas sp. AS6330 through ionic exchange, hydrophobic- and gel-chromatographies. The purity increased 12,800-fold with approximately 19.1% yield against cell homogenate. The enzyme was a monomeric protein with apparent molecular weight of 62 kDa as determined by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and 41 kDa as determined by gel filtration. The enzyme had optimum reaction conditions for hydrolysis of sulfate ester bonds in agar and p-nitrophenyl sulfate (NPS) at pH 7.0 and 45 degrees C, with a specific activity of 3.93 and 97.2 U, respectively. The enzyme showed higher activity towards agar than other sulfated marine polysaccharides such as porphyran, fucoidan and carrageenan. The K(m) and V(max) of the enzyme for hydrolysis of NPS were 54.9 microM and 113 mM/min, respectively. With reaction of 200 g agar with 100 U arylsulfatase for 8 h at 45 degrees C, gel strength increased 2.44-fold, and 97.7% of the sulfate in the agar was hydrolyzed.

Agar↗
PubMed2003

Probabilistic prediction in scale-free networks: diameter changes.

In complex systems, responses to small perturbations are too diverse to definitely predict how much they would be, and then such diverse responses can be predicted in a probabilistic way. Here we study such a problem in scale-free networks, for example, the diameter changes by the deletion of a single vertex for various in silico and real-world scale-free networks. We find that the diameter changes are indeed diverse and their distribution exhibits an algebraic decay with an exponent zeta asymptotically. Interestingly, the exponent zeta is robust as zeta approximately 2.2(1) for most scale-free networks and insensitive to the degree exponents gamma as long as 2<gamma</=3. However, there is another type with zeta approximately 1.7(1) and its examples include the Internet and its related in silico model.

Growth↗
PubMed2003

Gamma-glutamyltransferase and diabetes--a 4 year follow-up study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is located on the external surface of most cells and mediates the uptake of gluthathione, an important component of intracellular antioxidant defenses. An increase in GGT concentration has been regarded as a marker of alcohol consumption or liver disease. However, more subtle gradations in GGT could be informative because its expression is enhanced by oxidative stress and it could be released by several conditions inducing cellular stress. Recently, serum GGT concentrations have been associated with many cardiovascular disease risk factors or components of the insulin resistance syndrome. We did a prospective study with the hypothesis that serum GGT is a predictor of incident diabetes. METHODS: A total of 4,088 healthy men working in a steel manufacturing company were examined in 1994 and 1998. Diabetes was defined as a serum fasting glucose concentration of more than 126 mg/dl or the use of diabetes medication. RESULTS: There was a strong dose-response relation between serum GGT concentrations at baseline and the incidence of diabetes. In contrast to the 31% of men with GGT concentrations under 9 U/l, adjusted relative risks for incidence of diabetes for GGT concentrations 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and over 50 U/l were 8.0, 13.3, 12.6, 19.6 and 25.8, respectively. The associations of age and BMI with incident diabetes became stronger the higher the value of baseline serum GGT concentration. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: This study suggests that an increase in GGT concentration within its physiological range is a sensitive and early biomarker for the development of diabetes.

Adult↗