Urinary concentration of transforming growth factor-&bgr;-inducible gene-h3(&bgr;ig-h3) in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Cha, D. R.,Kim, I. S.,Kang, Y. S.,Han, S. Y.,Han, K. H.,Shin, C.,Ji, Y. H.,Kim, N. H. Blackwell Science Ltd 2005 Diabetic medicine Vol.22 No.1

<P>Abstract</P><P>Aims </P><P>The expression of TGF&bgr;-inducible gene h3(&bgr;ig-h3) has been used to assess the biological activity of TGF&bgr; in the kidney. In this study, we investigated whether the urinary concentration of &bgr;ig-h3 is associated with diabetic nephropathy in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. We also evaluated the relationship between the urinary concentration of &bgr;ig-3 and proteinuria and microalbuminuria (AER) in a normal healthy population and in Type 2 diabetes patients.</P><P>Methods </P><P>Four hundred and seventy-nine Type 2 diabetic patients without non-diabetic kidney diseases and 528 healthy control subjects were enrolled. The study subjects were divided into five groups: a non-diabetic healthy control group with normal ACR (<I>n</I> = 443), a non-diabetic healthy control group with microalbuminuria (<I>n</I> = 85), a normoalbuminuric diabetic group (<I>n</I> = 198), a microalbuminuric diabetic group (<I>n</I> = 155) and an overt proteinuria group (<I>n</I> = 126). Urinary levels of &bgr;ig-h3 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</P><P>Results </P><P>(i) Urinary excretion of &bgr;ig-h3 was significantly higher in the diabetic groups than in the controls, even in the normoalbuminuric stage (25.02 ± 8.84 vs. 18.67 ± 6.56, <I>P</I> = 0.03). In diabetic patients, urinary &bgr;ig-h3 levels increased significantly as diabetic nephropathy advanced (25.02 ± 8.84 vs. 34.06 ± 24.55 vs. 169.63 ± 57.33, <I>P</I> < 0.001). (ii) Proteinuria was found to be significantly correlated with urinary &bgr;ig-h3 (healthy control; <I>r</I> = 0.137, <I>P</I> = 0.019, diabetic patients; <I>r</I> = 0.604, <I>P</I> < 0.001). ACR was also found to be significantly related with urinary &bgr;ig-h3 in diabetic patients (<I>r =</I> 0.383, <I>P</I> = 0.006). (iii) In diabetic patients, urinary &bgr;ig-h3 was significantly related with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (systolic blood pressure: <I>r</I> = 0.436, <I>P</I> = 0.024; diastolic blood pressure, <I>r</I> = 0.365, <I>P</I> = 0.042), total cholesterol and HbA<SUB>1c</SUB> (cholesterol: <I>r</I> = 0.169, <I>P</I> = 0.03, HbA<SUB>1c</SUB>; <I>r</I> = 0.387, <I>P</I> = 0.044). Logistic regression analyses showed that urinary &bgr;ig-h3 was associated with a significant increase in the risk of microalbuminuria and proteinuria in diabetic patients.</P><P>Conclusions </P><P>Longitudinal monitoring of urinary &bgr;ig-h3 may improve the likelihood of detecting diabetic nephropathy at an earlier stage and &bgr;ig-h3 could be a sensitive marker of diabetic kidney disease progression.</P>

Stepwise selective reaction of two N-cyanoethyl groups attached to C-racemic tetraaza macrocyclic nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes in aqueous solutions

Kang, S.G.,Kim, N.,Jeong, J.H. Elsevier Sequoia [etc.] 2011 Inorganica chimica acta Vol.366 No.1

Stepwise hydrolysis of two N-(CH<SUB>2</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>CN groups attached to [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>2</SUP>)(OAc)]<SUP>+</SUP> and [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>2</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> (L<SUP>2</SUP>=1,8-bis(N-cyanoethyl)-5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) has been investigated. The reaction of [Ni(C-meso-L<SUP>2</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> has also been examined. Interestingly, [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>2</SUP>)(OAc)]<SUP>+</SUP> is readily hydrolyzed to [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>3</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> bearing one N-(CH<SUB>2</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>CONH<SUB>2</SUB> and one N-(CH<SUB>2</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>CN pendant arms at pH @?6, whereas [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>2</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> and [Ni(C-meso-L<SUP>2</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> are quite inert against hydrolysis under similar acidic conditions. Although [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>2</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> is hydrolyzed to [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>3</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> at pH 9, [Ni(C-meso-L<SUP>2</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> readily undergoes C-N bond cleavage to yield [Ni(C-meso-L<SUP>1</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> (L<SUP>1</SUP>=5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) in basic aqueous solutions. The hetero-functionalized complex [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>3</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> undergoes hydrolysis and C-N bond cleavage at pH 9 and 13, respectively; both [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>4</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> bearing two N-(CH<SUB>2</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>CONH<SUB>2</SUB> pendant arms and [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>5</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> bearing one N-(CH<SUB>2</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>CONH<SUB>2</SUB> group can be prepared selectively by controlling pH of the solution. However, [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>3</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> readily undergoes C-N bond cleavage to produce [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>5</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> even at pH 9. Crystal structure of [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>3</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> shows that the complex has severely distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry. Electronic absorption spectra of [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>3</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP>, [Ni(C-racemic-L<SUP>5</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP>, and [Cu(C-racemic-L<SUP>5</SUP>)]<SUP>2+</SUP> indicate that they also have trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry.

질소분시가 청예피의 생육특성 , 수량 및 조성분 함량에 미치는 영향

조남기,강영길,부창훈 한국동물자원과학회 2001 한국축산학회지 Vol.43 No.2

This study was conducted at a volcanic ash soil of Jeju island in 1999 to determine the optimum frequency of split N application for forage production of Japanese millet [Echinochloa crusgalli var. frumentacea (Roxb.) W. F. Wight]. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied with 200 ㎏ N/㏊, and frequencies of the split applications were 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 times. A Jeju native cultivar of Japanese millet was planted at a rate of 30 ㎏ seed/㏊ on 31 May, and harvested on 6 September. Days to heading increased from 84 to 88 days as N was split-applied from one to five applications. Plant height increased from 152 to 188 cm as N was split-applied from one to three applications and then decreased to 156 cm in five applications. This pattern held for leaf length, leaf width, and stem diameter which were greatest in three applications with 42.4, 2.6, and 0.67 ㎝, respectively. Green leaf number was 10 regardless of the treatments. Dry matter (DM) yield increased from 6.96 to 11.99 MT/㏊, crude protein (CP) yield from 0.47 to 0.89 MT/ha, and total digestible nutrients (TDN) yield from 3.80 to 6.81 MT/㏊ as N was split-applied from one to three applications, and then decreased to 7.51, 0.63 and 4.43 MT/ha, respectively, in five split applications. Nitrogen uptake increased from 75.1 to 142.9 ㎏/㏊ as N was split-applied from one to three applications and then decreased to 101.3 ㎏/㏊ in five split applications. Nitrogen use efficiency decreased from 92.8 to 74.1 ㎏ DM/㎏ N with increasing split N application. Crude protein content increased from 6.7 to 8.4%, ether extract content from 5.7 to 6.1%, nitrogen free extract content from 30.7 to 34.7%, and TDN content from 48.0 to 53.0%, but crude ash content decreased from 10.2 to 8.0% and crude fiber from 38.9 to 35.5% as N was split-applied from one to five applications. These results indicate that the optimum frequency of split N applications is three times for forage production of Japanese millet in volcanic ash soils of Jeju island.

VP2 capsid domain of the H-1 parvovirus determines susceptibility of human cancer cells to H-1 viral infection

Cho, I-R,Kaowinn, S,Song, J,Kim, S,Koh, S S,Kang, H-Y,Ha, N-C,Lee, K H,Jun, H-S,Chung, Y-H Nature America, Inc. 2015 Cancer gene therapy Vol.22 No.5

Although H-1 parvovirus is used as an antitumor agent, not much is known about the relationship between its specific tropism and oncolytic activity. We hypothesize that VP2, a major capsid protein of H-1 virus, determines H-1-specific tropism. To assess this, we constructed chimeric H-1 viruses expressing Kilham rat virus (KRV) capsid proteins, in their complete or partial forms. Chimeric H-1 viruses (CH1, CH2 and CH3) containing the whole KRV VP2 domain could not induce cytolysis in HeLa, A549 and Panc-1 cells. However, the other chimeric H-1 viruses (CH4 and CH5) expressing a partial KRV VP2 domain induced cytolysis. Additionally, the significant cytopathic effect caused by CH4 and CH5 infection in HeLa cells resulted from preferential viral amplification via DNA replication, RNA transcription and protein synthesis. Modeling of VP2 capsid protein showed that two variable regions (VRs) (VR0 and VR2) of H-1 VP2 protein protrude outward, because of the insertion of extra amino-acid residues, as compared with those of KRV VP2 protein. This might explain the precedence of H-1 VP2 protein over KRV in determining oncolytic activity in human cancer cells. Taking these results together, we propose that the VP2 protein of oncolytic H-1 parvovirus determines its specific tropism in human cancer cells.

질소 시비량이 정예피의 생육특성 , 수량 , 및 조성분 함량에 미치는 영향

조남기,강영길,조영일,부창훈 한국동물자원과학회 2001 한국축산학회지 Vol.43 No.2

A native cultivar of Japanese millet [Echinochloa crusgalli var. frumentacea (Roxb.) W. F. Wight) was grown with N rates of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 ㎏/㏊ from 31 May to 6 September in 1999 to determine the optimum N rate for forage production in a volcanic ash soil of Jeju island. Half of N fertilizer rate was applied at planting and half at 60 days after planting. Days to heading increased from 84 to 90 days as nitrogen rate increased from 0 to 250㎏/㏊. Plant height increased from 144 to 183 cm with increasing nitrogen rate. However, there was no significant difference between 200 and 250 ㎏ N/㏊ for the two characteristics. Increasing N rate from 0 to 250 ㎏/㏊ increased dry matter (DM) yield from 6.76 to 12.67 MT/㏊, crude protein yield from 0.47 to 1.21 MT/㏊, and total digestible nutrients (TDN) yield from 3.46 to 7.18 MT/㏊. However, no significant differences in these yields were found between 200 and 250 ㎏ N/㏊. Nitrogen uptake increased from 75.1 to 194.2 ㎏/㏊ but N use efficiency decreased from 90.0 to 65.2 ㎏ DM/㎏ N with increasing N from 0 to 250 ㎏/㏊. As N rate increased from 0 to 250 ㎏/㏊, CP and TDN contents increased from 6.9 to 9.6% and from 51.3 to 56.7%. respectively. while crude fiber content decreased from 39.5 to 35.9%. Ether extract and nitrogen free extract contents increased up to 200 ㎏ N/㏊ and then did not significantly increase with the further increase in N rate. Crude ash content decreased up to 200 ㎏ N/㏊ and then did not significantly decrease with the further increase in N rate. Based on the these findings, the optimum N rate for forage production of Japanese millet seems to be about 200 ㎏/㏊ in volcanic ash soils of Jeju island.

Multiple novel H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, South Korea, 2016

Lee, E.K.,Song, B.M.,Lee, Y.N.,Heo, G.B.,Bae, Y.C.,Joh, S.J.,Park, S.C.,Choi, K.S.,Lee, H.J.,Jang, I.,Kang, M.S.,Jeong, O.M.,Choi, B.K.,Lee, S.M.,Jeong, S.C.,Park, B.K.,Lee, H.S.,Lee, Y.J. Elsevier Science 2017 INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION Vol.51 No.-

<P>We report the identification of novel highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of subtype H5N6, Glade 23.4.4, that presumably originated from China. In addition, reassortant strains with Eurasian lineage low pathogenic avian influenza viruses were isolated in wild birds and poultry in South Korea. The emergence of these novel H5N6 viruses and their circulation among bird populations are of great concern because of the potential for virus dissemination with intercontinental wild bird migration. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</P>

Reduced-Intensity Conditioning with Busulfan, Fludarabine, and Antithymocyte Globulin for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation from Unrelated or Haploidentical Family Donors in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Remission

Lee, K.H.,Lee, J.H.,Lee, J.H.,Kim, D.Y.,Park, H.S.,Choi, E.J.,Ko, S.H.,Seol, M.,Lee, Y.S.,Kang, Y.A.,Jeon, M.,Baek, S.,Kang, Y.L.,Kim, S.H.,Yun, S.C.,Kim, H.,Jo, J.C.,Choi, Y.,Joo, Y.D.,Lim, S.N. Kluge Carden Jennings Pub. Co 2017 BIOLOGY OF BLOOD AND MARROW TRANSPLANTATION Vol.23 No.9

To investigate the role of antithymocyte globulin (ATG)-containing reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) from unrelated (UD) or haploidentical family donors (HFD), we conducted a phase 2 trial of 237 patients (age range, 16 to 69 years) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in remission. Patients undergoing UD-HCT (n@?=@?93) or HFD-HCT (n@?=@?59) received RIC comprising busulfan, fludarabine, and ATG, 9@?mg/kg, whereas those undergoing HCT from matched sibling donors (MSD, n@?=@?85) received myeloablative busulfan and cyclophosphamide conditioning or aforementioned RIC with ATG, 4.5@?mg/kg. For graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, cyclosporine and methotrexate were administered. The median follow-up period was 44.7 months after HCT for 161 survivors. For UD-HCT versus HFD-HCT, there were no significant differences in leukemia recurrence, nonrelapse mortality, relapse-free survival, grades 2 to 4 acute GVHD, and moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD. Furthermore, when the outcomes of UD-HCT and HFD-HCT were combined and compared with those of MSD-HCT, there were no significant differences in leukemia recurrence (3-year cumulative incidence, 30% versus 29%), nonrelapse mortality (3-year cumulative incidence, 7% versus 8%), relapse-free survival (3-year estimate, 63% versus 63%), and grades 2 to 4 acute GVHD (120-day cumulative incidence, 16% versus 13%). Moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD, however, occurred less frequently in UD/HFD-HCT (2-year cumulative incidence, 22% versus 40%; P@?=@?.006). The addition of ATG to conditioning regimen was a significant predictor for less chronic GVHD (subdistribution hazard ratio, .59). In AML in remission, UD/HFD-HCT after ATG-containing RIC achieved leukemia control equivalent to that of MSD-HCT. Despite HLA disparity in UD/HFD-HCT, chronic GVHD occurred less frequently after ATG-containing RIC, suggesting a strong GVHD-modulating effect of ATG.

White-light-emitting devices based on Organic multilayer structure

J.T.Lim,N.H.Lee,Y.J.Ahn,G.W.Kang,이창희 한국물리학회 2002 Current Applied Physics Vol.2 No.4

We report an efficient white-light-emitting devices using vacuum-deposited film of a hole-transporting layer of 4,40bis[N-(1- napthyl)-N-phenyl-amino]-biphenyl (a-NPD), a bluish-green emitting layer of bis[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazolate] zinc, a Zn(BTZ)2, Zn(BTZ)2 doped with a red fluorescent dye of 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-[2-(2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1H,5H-benzo- [i,j]quinolizin-8-yl)vinyl]-4H-pyran (DCM2), and an electron-transporting layer of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3). The incomplete energy transfer from Zn(BTZ)2 to DCM2 results in the emission of two complementary colors (blue and orange). Controlling the thickness of a Zn(BTZ)2 layer which acts as a bluish-green emitter and a hole blocking layer and the concentration of DCM2 enables tailoring of the spectral output of the device to have a balanced white emission. A device with the structure of ITO/a-NPD (50 nm)/Zn(BTZ)2 (4 nm)/Zn(BTZ)2:DCM2 (10 nm, 0.8%)/Alq3 (30 nm)/LiF(0.5 nm)/Al shows an external quantum efficiency (QE) of about 0.5%, a luminous efficiency of 0.27 lm/W, and the CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.36, 0.33) at luminance 100 cd/m2. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. We report an efficient white-light-emitting devices using vacuum-deposited film of a hole-transporting layer of 4,40bis[N-(1- napthyl)-N-phenyl-amino]-biphenyl (a-NPD), a bluish-green emitting layer of bis[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazolate] zinc, a Zn(BTZ)2, Zn(BTZ)2 doped with a red fluorescent dye of 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-[2-(2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1H,5H-benzo- [i,j]quinolizin-8-yl)vinyl]-4H-pyran (DCM2), and an electron-transporting layer of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3). The incomplete energy transfer from Zn(BTZ)2 to DCM2 results in the emission of two complementary colors (blue and orange). Controlling the thickness of a Zn(BTZ)2 layer which acts as a bluish-green emitter and a hole blocking layer and the concentration of DCM2 enables tailoring of the spectral output of the device to have a balanced white emission. A device with the structure of ITO/a-NPD (50 nm)/Zn(BTZ)2 (4 nm)/Zn(BTZ)2:DCM2 (10 nm, 0.8%)/Alq3 (30 nm)/LiF(0.5 nm)/Al shows an external quantum efficiency (QE) of about 0.5%, a luminous efficiency of 0.27 lm/W, and the CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.36, 0.33) at luminance 100 cd/m2. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Age-related differences in virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound findings in patients with coronary artery disease

Hong, Y.J.,Jeong, M.H.,Choi, Y.H.,Ma, E.H.,Ko, J.S.,Lee, M.G.,Park, K.H.,Sim, D.S.,Yoon, N.S.,Youn, H.J.,Kim, K.H.,Park, H.W.,Kim, J.H.,Ahn, Y.,Cho, J.G.,Park, J.C.,Kang, J.C. Japanese College of Cardiology 2010 Journal of cardiology Vol.55 No.2

Background: We assessed the age-related differences in pre-intervention virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) findings at target lesion sites in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods: A total of 553 patients who underwent pre-intervention VH-IVUS imaging were grouped according to age: non-elderly (@?70 years, n=429) and elderly (>70 years, n=124); 191 had stable angina and 362 acute coronary syndrome. VH-IVUS classified the tissue into: fibrotic, fibro-fatty, dense calcium (DC), and necrotic core (NC). Results: Overall, the absolute and percent volumes of DC (11.0+/-11.0mm<SUP>3</SUP> vs. 9.7+/-11.9mm<SUP>3</SUP>, P=0.033; 11.7+/-8.1% vs. 9.8+/-7.2%, P=0.014, respectively) and NC (18.5+/-17.6mm<SUP>3</SUP> vs. 16.6+/-18.9mm<SUP>3</SUP>, P=0.020; 18.8+/-8.8% vs. 16.5+/-9.3%, P=0.026, respectively) were significantly greater in the elderly than in the non-elderly. In stable angina patients, the absolute and percent volumes of DC (10.4+/-9.9mm<SUP>3</SUP> vs. 7.2+/-7.6mm<SUP>3</SUP>, P=0.022; 13.4+/-10.0% vs. 9.2+/-6.5%, P=0.011, respectively) and NC (14.8+/-11.2mm<SUP>3</SUP> vs. 12.0+/-11.9mm<SUP>3</SUP>, P=0.035; 19.6+/-8.8% vs. 15.5+/-8.4%, P=0.006, respectively) were significantly greater in the elderly. However, in acute coronary syndrome patients, there were no significant differences in absolute and percent volumes of DC (11.4+/-11.6mm<SUP>3</SUP> vs. 10.9+/-13.4mm<SUP>3</SUP>, P=0.8; 10.7+/-6.5% vs. 10.1+/-7.5%, P=0.5, respectively) and NC (24.1+/-20.3mm<SUP>3</SUP> vs. 23.9+/-21.2mm<SUP>3</SUP>, P=0.9; 22.0+/-8.8% vs. 21.3+/-9.6%, P=0.6, respectively) between the elderly and non-elderly groups. Myocardial infarction (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.45-4.12, P=0.003), diabetes mellitus (OR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.30-3.53, P=0.009), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.06-2.45, P=0.042), but not age, were independent predictors of percent NC volume >20% in lesion site. Conclusions: Myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, but not age, were associated with NC-rich lesions. Clinical presentation, risk factors, and inflammatory status, but not age, are important factors for plaque components.

Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic application of a zinc(II) complex bearing a pyrazole-based ligand

Kang, Y.K.,Jeong, J.H.,Lee, N.Y.,Lee, Y.T.,Lee, H. Pergamon Press 2010 Polyhedron Vol.29 No.12

The reaction between ZnCl<SUB>2</SUB> and N,N-bis[(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl]-1-phenylethylamine (bdmppea) affords [(bdmppea)ZnCl<SUB>2</SUB>], whose structure has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The [(bdmppea)ZnEt<SUB>2</SUB>] complex in situ prepared by the reaction between [bdmppea] and ZnEt<SUB>2</SUB> exhibited high activity toward the polymerization reaction of rac-lactide at room temperature. However, its activity decreased sharply with decreasing temperature. Stereospecificity of this catalyst characterized by heterotacticity (P<SUB>r</SUB>) was determined by homonuclear decoupled NMR spectroscopy, which value was ∼0.58.