Diagnostic usefulness of a T cell-based assay for latent tuberculosis infection in kidney transplant candidates before transplantation

Kim, S.-H.,Lee, S.-O.,Park, I.-A.,Park, S.J.,Choi, S.-H.,Kim, Y.S.,Woo, J.H.,Park, S.-K.,Park, J.S.,Kim, S.C.,Han, D.J. Blackwell Publishing Inc 2010 Transplant infectious disease Vol.12 No.2

<P>S.-H. Kim, S.-O. Lee, I.-A. Park, S.J. Park, S.-H. Choi, Y.S. Kim, J.H. Woo, S.-K. Park, J.S. Park, S.C. Kim, D.J. Han. Diagnostic usefulness of a T cell-based assay for latent tuberculosis infection in kidney transplant candidates before transplantation.Transpl Infect Dis 2010: <B>12:</B> 113–119. All rights reserved</P><P>Background</P><P>The presence of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) should be evaluated before kidney transplantation. Although a new T cell-based assay for diagnosing LTBI gave promising results, this assay has not yet been compared with the tuberculin skin test (TST) for diagnosing LTBI in renal transplant candidates before transplantation.</P><P>Patients and methods</P><P>All adult patients admitted to a single institute for renal transplantation over a 1-year period were prospectively enrolled. A clinically predictive risk of LTBI was defined as: (i) recent close contact with a person with pulmonary TB; (ii) abnormal chest radiography; (iii) a history of untreated or inadequately treated TB; or (iv) a new infection (i.e., a recent conversion of TST).</P><P>Results</P><P>Of 209 renal recipients, 47 (22%) had a positive TST≥5 mm, 21 (10%) had a positive TST≥10 mm, 65 (30%) had a positive T-SPOT.<I>TB</I> test, and 25 (12%) had an indeterminate T-SPOT.<I>TB</I> test. The induration size of TST was significantly associated with a high positivity rate on T-SPOT.<I>TB</I> (<I>P</I><0.001). Agreement between T-SPOT.<I>TB</I> test and TST≥10 mm was fair (<I>k</I>=0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.11–0.36). However, neither univariate nor multivariate analysis showed any association between the clinical risk for LTBI and positivity on T-SPOT.<I>TB</I> or TST.</P><P>Conclusion</P><P>T-SPOT.<I>TB</I> test was more frequently positive than TST in renal transplant candidates. However, further longitudinal studies are awaited to determine whether the ability of T-SPOT.<I>TB</I> assay to detect LTBI in renal transplant recipients can better predict the development of TB than can TST after transplantation.</P>

선택적 촉매 산화 반응에 의한 황화 수소의 제거 Ⅱ . TiO2 / SiO2 촉매 상에서 황화 수소의 선택적 산화 반응

천승우,박대원,우희철,홍성수,정종식 ( S . W . Chun,D . W . Park,H . C . Woo,S . S . Hong,J . S . Chung ) 한국공업화학회 1996 공업화학 Vol.7 No.4

본 연구는 H₂S를 TiO₂/SiO₂촉매상에서 산소와의 직접 산화 반응을 통해 원소 황의 형태로 제거하는 반응에 관한 것이다. 순수한 TiS₂Ti(SO₄)_2를 사용한 반응 실험과 순수한 TiO₂에 대한 주기적 온도 조작 실험 결과로부터 TiO₂는 황 회수 공정에서 사용되는 촉매의 비활성화의 주원인으로 알려진 sulfation이나 salfidation에 대해 매우 안정한 것으로 나타났다. TiO₂/SiO₂촉매에서 TiO₂의 담지량이 증가함에 따라 H₂S 전화율이 증가하였고, 원소 황의 선택도는 아주 소폭으로 감소하였다. 반응 실험결과 O₂/H₂S의 비가 증가할수록 원소 황의 선택도는 크게 감소하였다. 10 wt.% TiO₂/SiO₂ 촉매는 화학 양론비의 조성(H₂S=5 vol.% O₂=2.5 vol.%)의 반응물에 10 vol.%의 수증기를 첨가한 경우 활성과 선택도가 감소하였으나 여전히 80% 이상의 원소 황 수율을 유지하고 있었다. Selective catalytic oxidation of H₂S to elemental sulfur using TiO₂/SiO₂ catalysts was investigated in this study. The reaction test with pure TiS₂and Ti(SO₄)₂and cyclic temperature operation revealed that TiO₂had a good resistance to sulfation and sulfidation, which are known as the main cause of catalytic deactivation in sulfur recovery process. With the increase of TiO₂loading amount in Tio₂/SiO₂catalysts, the conversion of H₂S increased and the selectivity of elemental sulfur was very slightly decreased. As the ratio of O₂/H₂S increased, the selectivity to elemental sulfur was drastically decreased. In the presence of 10 vol.% water vapor to a stoichiometric mixture of H₂S and O₂(H₂S =5 vol.% O=2.5 vol.%), both activity and selectivity of 10 wt.% TiO₂/SiO₂catalyst are decreased, but it still showed more than 80% of sulfur yield.

1987년 한국에서 발생한 렙토스피라병의 혈청역학적 조사

이증훈,박영수,이우곤,김석용,정선식,우준희,박성광,박경희,송영욱,김선영,기정일,최두혁,강성귀,김주완,최강원,김우열,최명식,최인학,장우현,윤성열 대한감염학회 1988 감염 Vol.20 No.3

Human leptospirosis was an unfamiliar disease in Korea until 1984 that outbreak of leptospirosis occurred among farmers and soldiers after field works for harvesting rice. During that time, Lee and Jo confirmed the first Korean cases of leptospirosis by serological test, isolation of causative agent and autopy findings. Afterward several outbreaks occurred also during autumn especially after flood in every years and some characterisitcs of leptospirosis in Korea such as clinical manifestations, serotypes and seroepidemiological features has been revealed by many investigators. Because of the major mode of transmission between rodents and human is by direct contact with leptospiral urine of rodents or contaminated soil by the urine, leptospirosis in Korea has been primarily a disease of person in occupations heavily exposed to contaminated soil or infected urine such as farmer, army and etc. Therefore it seems that leptospirosis is one of the main communicable diseases to be controlled urgently in Korea, for an agricultural people account for almost half of total Korean people. For clarifying the seroepidemiological patterns of human leptospirosis in Korea by sex, month region and main reacting serovars of L. interrogans among acute febrile disease occurred in 1987, 1,773 patient's sers with acute febrile episodes were tested by microagglutination test using 19 representative strains of leptospiral serogroup as antigen. All of those sera were collected from 10 collaborative clinics located in Kyunggi, Kangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Chonbuk, Chonnam province and Seoul. The results wee summerized as follows. 1) Among 1,773 sera of patients with acute febrile episodes, 219 (12.4%) were seropositive to L. interrogans, 487(27.5%) to R. tsutsugamushi, 241(13.6%) to R.typhi and 160(90.0%) to Hantaan virus. 2) Among seropositives to L.interrogans, the male outnumbered the female, 65% and 35%. 3) For age distribution, 26.9% of seropositives to L.interrogans were fifties, 19.6% were forties, 9.1% were sixties, 5.9% were thirties and 4.1% were twenties. 4) Eighty three percent of seropositives had occurred between September and October in 1987 with a peak in September. 5) Main leptospiral serovars reactive to patient's sera were Icterohaemorrhagiae(54.3%), Canicola(31.0%), CH-48(13.2%), Tarassovi(0.9%)and Cynopteri(0.5%). 6) For regional distribution, 65.8% of seropositives to L.interrogans were residents from Chonbuk, 12.3% were Chonnam, 7.3% were Chungnam, 5.5% were Kyunggi and 1.4% were Kangwon.

선택적 촉매 산화 반응에 의한 황화수소의 제거 1 . 촉매의 개발

천승우,박대원,우희철,홍성수,정종식 ( S . W . Chun,D . W . Park,H . C . Woo,S . S . Hong,J . S . Chung ) 한국공업화학회 1995 공업화학 Vol.6 No.5

본 연구는 H₂S를 산소와의 직접 산화 반응을 통해 원소 황의 형태로 제거하는 반응에서 고농도의 H₂S를 처리할 수 있는 촉매의 개발에 관한 것이다. 최적의 촉매를 개발하기 위해 각 담체와 금속 산화물에 대한 반응성 실험을 실시하였다. 실험 결과 담체로는 Al₂O₃, TiO₂, ZrO₂ 등이 금속 산화물로서는 Fe₂O₃, V₂O_5, SnO₂, Cr₂O₃ 등이 좋은 활성을 보였다. 반응물 중의 산소의 분압 영향과 반응물에 포함되어질 수 있는 물의 영향에 대해서 관찰한 결과 산소의 분압이 높을수록 전화율은 증가하나 황 선택도는 급격히 감소하는 경향을 보였고, 10vol.%의 물을 반응물에 첨가한 경우 전화율과 황 선택도가 동시에 감소하는 경향을 보였다. In this study, development of catalysts far the direct oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, specially for the treatment of high concentrantion of H₂S, was investigated. To find out optimum catalysts, a screenig test for various supports and metal oxides was carried out. Among the supports tested, Al₂O₃, TiO₂ and ZrO₂ showed good catalytic activity. Fe₂O₃, V₂O_5, SnO₂ and Cr₂O₃ have been considered to be active metal oxides. The study on the effects of oxygen partial pressure revealed that the conversion of H₂S increased with increasing the ratio of O₂/H₂S, but the selectivity to sulfur was drasctically decreased. Bath of the conversion of H₂S and the selectivity to sulfur were decreased when 10 vol.% of water was added to the mixture of H₂S and oxygen.

Overestimation of on-road air quality surveying data measured with a mobile laboratory caused by exhaust plumes of a vehicle ahead in dense traffic areas

Woo, S.H.,Kwak, K.H.,Bae, G.N.,Kim, K.H.,Kim, C.H.,Yook, S.J.,Jeon, S.,Kwon, S.,Kim, J.,Lee, S.B. Elsevier Applied Science Publishers 2016 Environmental pollution Vol.218 No.-

The unintended influence of exhaust plumes emitted from a vehicle ahead to on-road air quality surveying data measured with a mobile laboratory (ML) at 20-40 km h<SUP>-1</SUP> in dense traffic areas was investigated by experiment and life-sized computational fluidic dynamics (CFD) simulation. The ML equipped with variable sampling inlets of five columns by four rows was used to measure the spatial distribution of CO<SUB>2</SUB> and NO<SUB>x</SUB> concentrations when following 5-20 m behind a sport utility vehicle (SUV) as an emitter vehicle equipped with a portable emission monitoring system (PEMS). The PEMS measured exhaust gases at the tailpipe for input data of the CFD simulations. After the CFD method was verified with experimental results of the SUV, dispersion of exhaust plumes emitted from a bus and a sedan was numerically analyzed. More dilution of the exhaust plume was observed at higher vehicle speeds, probably because of eddy diffusion that was proportional to turbulent kinetic energy and vehicle speed. The CO<SUB>2</SUB> and NO<SUB>x</SUB> concentrations behind the emitter vehicle showed less overestimation as both the distance between the two vehicles and their background concentrations increased. If the height of the ML inlet is lower than 2 m and the ML travels within 20 m behind a SUV and a sedan ahead at 20 km h<SUP>-1</SUP>, the overestimation should be considered by as much as 200 ppb in NO<SUB>x</SUB> and 80 ppm in CO<SUB>2</SUB>. Following a bus should be avoided if possible, because effect of exhaust plumes from a bus ahead could not be negligible even when the distance between the bus and the ML with the inlet height of 2 m, was more than 40 m. Recommendations are provided to avoid the unintended influence of exhaust plumes from vehicles ahead of the ML during on-road measurement in urban dense traffic conditions.

Systemic delivery and preclinical evaluation of Au nanoparticle containing β-lapachone for radiosensitization

Jeong, S.Y.,Park, S.J.,Yoon, S.M.,Jung, J.,Woo, H.N.,Yi, S.L.,Song, S.Y.,Park, H.J.,Kim, C.,Lee, J.S.,Lee, J.S.,Choi, E.K. Elsevier Science Publishers 2009 Journal of controlled release Vol.139 No.3

Effective delivery of radiosensitizer to target tumor cells, causing preferentially increased tumor cytotoxicity, while simultaneously minimizing damage to healthy cells around the tumor, is an ideal strategy for the improvement of radiotherapeutic efficacy against human cancer. We aimed to enhance radiotherapeutic efficacy by using biocompatible gold nanoparticles (AuNP) as a vehicle for systemic delivery of sz-lapachone (lap). Lap is a novel anticancer agent displaying potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells expressing NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 enzyme (NQO1). Although lap is expected to be a very promising radiosensitizer, its poor solubility and non-specific distribution obstruct preclinical evaluation and clinical application. In this study, the property of AuNPs carrying lap (AuNPs/lap) for active-targeting tumor cells and improving in vivo radiotherapeutic efficacy was evaluated. Murine monoclonal anti-EGFR antibody was conjugated to the AuNPs/lap as a ligand for active targeting. The active tumor-targeting property of AuNPs/lap conjugating anti-EGFR antibody was validated in vitro experiments using cell lines expressing EGFR at different levels. In mice bearing xenograft human tumors, the intravenous injection of AuNPs/lap exhibited highly enhanced radiotherapeutic efficacy. AuNPs/lap offers a new modality for improvement of radiotherapeutic efficacy and feasibility of further clinical application for human cancer treatment.

Influence of <i>CYP2D6*10</i> on the pharmacokinetics of metoprolol in healthy Korean volunteers

Jin, S. K.,Chung, H. J.,Chung, M. W.,Kim, J.-I.,Kang, J.-H.,Woo, S. W.,Bang, S.,Lee, S. H.,Lee, H. J.,Roh, J. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2008 Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics Vol.33 No.5

<P>Summary</P><P>Background and objective: </P><P>Genetic polymorphism of <I>CYP2D6</I> leads to differences in pharmacokinetics of CYP2D6 substrates. The <I>CYP2D6*10</I> allele is clinically important in Koreans because of its high frequency in Asians. We investigated whether the pharmacokinetics of metoprolol was altered by the presence of the <I>CYP2D6*10</I> allele in Korean subjects.</P><P>Methods: </P><P>One hundred and seven volunteers were recruited and grouped as <I>CYP2D6*1/*1</I>, <I>CYP2D6*1/*10</I> and <I>CYP2D6*10/*10</I> according to their genotypes. Metoprolol tartrate 100 mg (Betaloc<SUP>®</SUP>) was administered orally once to each subject in these three groups (<I>n</I> = 6, 7 and 5, respectively). The pharmacokinetic parameters of metoprolol and its metabolite, &agr;-hydroxymetoprolol, and the metabolic ratio for the three groups were estimated and compared.</P><P>Results and discussion: </P><P>The area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC<SUB>0→∞</SUB>), the maximum plasma concentration (<I>C</I><SUB>max</SUB>) and the elimination half-life (<I>T</I><SUB>1/2</SUB>) of metoprolol and &agr;-hydroxymetoprolol for the <I>CYP2D6*10/*10</I> group were all significantly different from those of the <I>CYP2D6*1/*1</I> group (<I>P</I> < 0·05). The AUC<SUB>0→∞</SUB>s of metoprolol were 443·7 ± 168·1, 995·6 ± 321·4 and 2545·3 ± 632·0 ng·h/mL, and the AUC<SUB>0→∞</SUB>s of &agr;-hydroxymetoprolol were 1232·0 ± 311·2, 1344·0 ± 288·1 and 877·4 ± 103·4 ng·h/mL for groups <I>CYP2D6*1/*1</I>, <I>*1/*10</I> and <I>*10/*10</I>, respectively. The corresponding <I>T</I><SUB>1/2</SUB> values of metoprolol were 2·7 ± 0·5, 3·2 ± 1·3 and 5·0 ± 1·1 h, while those of &agr;-hydroxymetoprolol were 5·4±1·5, 6·0 ± 1·4 and 10·5 ± 4·2 h, respectively. The metabolic ratios of the three groups were significantly different (<I>P</I> < 0·05).</P><P>Conclusion: </P><P>The <I>CYP2D6*10</I> allele altered the pharmacokinetics of metoprolol in Korean subjects and is likely to affect other drugs metabolized by the CYP2D6 enzyme, similarly.</P>

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Korea, 2008

Kim, H.R.,Park, C.K.,Lee, Y.J.,Woo, G.H.,Lee, K.K.,Oem, J.K.,Kim, S.H.,Jean, Y.H.,Bae, Y.C.,Yoon, S.S.,Roh, I.S.,Jeong, O.M.,Kim, H.Y.,Choi, J.S.,Byun, J.W.,Song, Y.K.,Kwon, J.H.,Joo, Y.S. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co 2010 Veterinary microbiology Vol.141 No.3

In spite of intensive surveillance programs for the control of HPAI, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in Korea in April 2008 caused serious damage to poultry farms, as did previous outbreaks in 2003/2004 and 2006/2007. Six viruses were selected from the Korean 2008 isolates for genetic analysis, and all eight gene segments from each of the influenza viruses were sequenced. A phylogenetic analysis showed that all of the viruses were of the same virus type and that the hemagglutinin (HA) gene was clustered with that of clade 2.3.2 viruses. However, the internal and neuraminidase (NA) genes were closely related to those of the clade 2.3.4 viruses (recent human and bird isolates from Southeast Asia).

Carbon contribution of sea ice floes in the Arctic Ocean

Lee, S.H.,Kyung Kim, B.,Joo, H.T.,Woo Park, J.,Han Lee, J.,Joo, H.M.,Byoul Lee, D.,Kang, C.K.,Kang, S.H. Pergamon Press 2015 Deep-sea research. Part II, Topical studies in oce Vol.120 No.-

To estimate detailed contributions of particulate organic carbon (POC) as a potential food source in various environments of the Arctic sea ice floes, intensive investigations were executed at two different types of sea ice stations (ST 1 and ST 2) in the northern Chukchi Sea during the summer period in 2011. The average uptake rates of carbon and nitrogen in melt ponds from this study were within the range measured previously. The surface ice of melt ponds at ST 1 had the highest POC concentration with a mean of 148.0mgCm<SUP>-3</SUP> (S.D.=+/-86.0mgCm<SUP>-3</SUP>), followed by sea ice cores at ST 2 (mean+/-S.D.=125.7+/-128.2mgCm<SUP>-3</SUP>). The POC concentrations in melt ponds ranged between 90.0mgCm<SUP>-3</SUP> (S.D.=+/-12.7mgCm<SUP>-3</SUP>) and 103.9mgCm<SUP>-3</SUP> (S.D.=+/-47.7mgCm<SUP>-3</SUP>) at ST 1 and ST 2, respectively. Major POC contributors to melt ponds were diatoms with a mean biovolume contribution of 48.7% (S.D.=+/-39.1%) which was strongly related to in situ salinity. Although the total POC concentration of entire sea ice floes ranged from 2.8% to 5.3% of the POC concentration within the euphotic water column at the study locations, the carbon contribution of sea ice floes could be important to higher trophic levels because of the concentrated POC within sea ice floes.

Melatonin enhances arsenic trioxide-induced cell death via sustained upregulation of Redd1 expression in breast cancer cells

Yun, S.M.,Woo, S.H.,Oh, S.T.,Hong, S.E.,Choe, T.B.,Ye, S.K.,Kim, E.K.,Seong, M.K.,Kim, H.A.,Noh, W.C.,Lee, J.K.,Jin, H.O.,Lee, Y.H.,Park, I.C. North-Holland 2016 Molecular and cellular endocrinology Vol.422 No.-

Melatonin is implicated in various physiological functions, including anticancer activity. However, the mechanism(s) of its anticancer activity is not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the combined effects of melatonin and arsenic trioxide (ATO) on cell death in human breast cancer cells. Melatonin enhanced the ATO-induced apoptotic cell death via changes in the protein levels of Survivin, Bcl-2, and Bax, thus affecting cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol. Interestingly, we found that the cell death induced by co-treatment with melatonin and ATO was mediated by sustained upregulation of Redd1, which was associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Combined treatment with melatonin and ATO induced the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAP kinase downstream from Redd1 expression. Rapamycin and S6K1 siRNA enhanced, while activation of mTORC1 by transfection with TSC2 siRNA suppressed the cell death induced by melatonin and ATO treatment. Taken together, our findings suggest that melatonin enhances ATO-induced apoptotic cell death via sustained upregulation of Redd1 expression and inhibition of mTORC1 upstream of the activation of the p38/JNK pathways in human breast cancer cells.