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1.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 7228, 2024 03 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38538679

ABSTRACT

Loss of myelin in the brain may lead to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ratio of T1 weighted/T2 weighted (T1w/T2w) on magnetic resonance imaging has been used as a proxy for myelin content in the brain. Using this approach, we investigated the correlation between the white matter (WM) T1w/T2w ratio and both cognitive scores and disease progression in AD. A total of 93 participants who were cognitively unimpaired or diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or AD dementia were recruited between March 2021 and November 2022. All participants were assessed using neuropsychological tests, and a subset of the participants was assessed every 1 year to monitor disease progression. We observed significant positive associations between the WM T1w/T2w ratio and executive function within the fornix, sagittal stratum, anterior internal capsule, and body of the corpus callosum (False discovery rate [FDR]-corrected P-value < 0.05). There was a marginal interaction between the WM T1w/T2w ratio of the left anterior internal capsule and the longitudinal change in sum of boxes of the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (FDR-corrected P-value = 0.05). The present study demonstrated that the WM T1w/T2w ratio was associated with executive function and disease progression, suggesting that it may be a novel neuroimaging marker for AD.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Cognitive Dysfunction , White Matter , Humans , White Matter/diagnostic imaging , Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Cognition , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnostic imaging , Myelin Sheath , Disease Progression
2.
Dement Neurocogn Disord ; 22(4): 148-157, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38025407

ABSTRACT

Background and Purpose: Episodic memory is a system that receives and stores information about temporally dated episodes and their interrelations. Our study aimed to investigate the relevance of episodic memory to time perception, with a specific focus on simultaneity/order judgment. Methods: Experiment 1 employed the simultaneity judgment task to discern differences in time perception between patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, and age-matched normals. A mathematical analysis capable of estimating subjects' time processing was utilized to identify the sensory and decisional components of temporal order and simultaneity judgment. Experiment 2 examined how differences in temporal perception relate to performance in temporal order memory, in which time delays play a critical role. Results: The temporal decision windows for both temporal order and simultaneity judgments exhibited marginal differences between patients with episodic memory impairment, and their healthy counterparts (p = 0.15, t(22) = 1.34). These temporal decision windows may be linked to the temporal separation of events in episodic memory (Pearson's ρ = -0.53, p = 0.05). Conclusions: Based on our findings, the frequency of visual events accumulated and encoded in the working memory system in the patients' and normal group appears to be approximately (5.7 and 11.2) Hz, respectively. According to the internal clock model, a lower frequency of event pulses tends to result in underestimation of event duration, which phenomenon might be linked to the observed time distortions in patients with dementia.

4.
Sci Total Environ ; 848: 157699, 2022 Nov 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35926634

ABSTRACT

Societal concerns about air quality in East Asia are still growing despite country-level efforts to reduce air pollution emissions. In coping with this growing concern, the government and the public demand a longer­lead forecast of air quality to ensure sufficient response time until society prepares for countermeasures such as a temporary reduction of specific emission sources. Here we propose a novel method that produces skillful seasonal forecasting of wintertime (December to February) PM10 concentration over South Korea. The method is based on the idea that climate condition and air quality have co-variability in the seasonal time scales and that the state-of-art seasonal prediction model will benefit air quality forecasting. More specifically, a linear regression model is constructed to link observed winter PM10 concentration and climate variables where the predicted climate variables were furnished from NCEP CFSv2 forecast initialized during autumn. In this case, climate variables were selected as predictors of the model because they are not only physically related to air quality but also 'predictable' in CFS hindcast. Through analysis of retrospective forecasts of 20 winters for the period 2001-2020, we found this model shows statistically significant skill for the seasonal forecast of wintertime PM10 concentration.


Subject(s)
Air Pollutants , Air Pollution , Air Pollutants/analysis , Air Pollution/analysis , Environmental Monitoring/methods , Particulate Matter/analysis , Retrospective Studies , Seasons
5.
Front Psychiatry ; 13: 963303, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36895426

ABSTRACT

To accurately perform a goal-directed movement in continuously changing environments, it is unavoidable for individuals to adapt accordingly. The cerebellum has been known to be responsible for such process, specifically adaptation using sensorimotor information. As shown in previous studies, using HMD-VR technology in an experimental setting has similar advantages as in the real-world environment: researchers can manipulate the experimental environment, precisely control the experiments, and quantitatively analyze errors in real time. Moreover, the HMD-VR environment provides high immersiveness and embodiment which even enhance motor learning and increase engagement and motivation of individuals more than real-world environments do. In our HMD-VR-based task, the subjects were trained to adapt to a condition in which the visual information was artificially 20°clockwise rotated from the actual cursor movement. The subjects used a virtual reality tracker to move the cursor from a starting point to a target that appeared randomly at five locations, 20 cm from the starting point with an interval of 15°. Although no significant side effects were expected from experiencing the HMD-VR environment, we considered the appropriate number of trials for patients with cerebellar disease for future use in clinical settings. To examine the feasibility of our task for analysis of visuomotor adaptation pattern as shown in a real-world-based task, we created and compared two paradigms with a difference in the number of trials. As we expected, the results showed that the heading angle error decreased as the participants of both paradigms continued the task and that there was no significant difference between the two paradigms. Next, we applied our short task paradigm to patients diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia and age-matched controls for further examination of applicability to diagnosis and rehabilitation of the patients. As a result, we observed the distinguishable adaptation pattern of the patient group by using our paradigm. Overall, the results suggest that our paradigm is feasible to analyze the visuomotor adaptation pattern of healthy individuals and patients with cerebellar ataxia so may contribute to the clinical field.

6.
Bioconjug Chem ; 30(7): 1969-1978, 2019 07 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31251559

ABSTRACT

The ortho-hydroxy-protected aryl sulfate (OHPAS) linker is composed of a diaryl sulfate backbone equipped with a latent phenol moiety at the ortho position of one of the aryl units. The Ar-OH released when the ortho phenol undergoes intramolecular cyclization and displaces the second aryl unit can be viewed as a payload. We have shown in the preceding paper that the OHPAS linkers are highly stable chemically and in various plasmas, yet release payloads when exposed to suitable triggering conditions. As an extension of the OHPAS system, we employed a para-hydroxy benzyl (PHB) spacer for coupling to nonphenolic payloads; this tactic again provided a highly stable system capable of smooth release of appended payloads. The PHB modification works beautifully for tertiary amine and N-heterocycle payloads.


Subject(s)
Amines/chemistry , Benzyl Compounds/chemistry , Heterocyclic Compounds/chemistry , Phenol/chemistry , Sulfates/chemistry , Alcohols/chemical synthesis , Alcohols/chemistry , Amines/chemical synthesis , Benzyl Compounds/chemical synthesis , Cyclization , DNA/chemical synthesis , DNA/chemistry , Heterocyclic Compounds/chemical synthesis , Phenol/chemical synthesis , RNA/chemical synthesis , RNA/chemistry , Sulfates/chemical synthesis
7.
Bioconjug Chem ; 30(7): 1957-1968, 2019 07 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31251583

ABSTRACT

A new self-immolative linker motif, Ortho Hydroxy-Protected Aryl Sulfate (OHPAS), was devised, and OHPAS-containing antibody drug conjugates (ADC) were tested in vitro and in vivo. Conveniently synthesized using Sulfur Fluorine Exchange (SuFEx) chemistry, it is based structurally on diaryl sulfate, with one aryl acting as a payload and the other as a self-immolative sulfate unit having a latent phenol function at the ortho position. The chemically stable OHPAS linker was stable in plasma samples from 5 different species, yet it can release the payload molecule smoothly upon chemical or biological triggering. The payload release proceeds via intramolecular cyclization, producing a cyclic sulfate coproduct that eventually hydrolyzes to a catechol monosulfate. A set of OHPAS-containing ADCs based on Trastuzumab were prepared with a drug to antibody ratio of ∼2, and were shown to be cytotoxic in 5 different cancer cell lines in vitro and dose-dependently inhibited tumor growth in a NCI-N87 mouse xenograft model. We conclude that OHPAS conjugates will be of considerable use for delivering phenol-containing payloads to tissues targeted for medical intervention.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/chemistry , Immunoconjugates/chemistry , Sulfates/chemistry , Trastuzumab/chemistry , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use , Cell Line, Tumor , Click Chemistry , Humans , Immunoconjugates/therapeutic use , Mice , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Phenols , Trastuzumab/therapeutic use , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
8.
J Nanosci Nanotechnol ; 18(9): 6520-6523, 2018 09 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29677825

ABSTRACT

The Ag nanowire (NW) + Au nanoparticle (NP)-embedded TiO2 photoelectrodes were adopted for conventional planar TiO2-based Sb2S3 hybrid solar cells to improve the cell efficiency. Compared to conventional planar TiO2-based Sb2S3 hybrid solar cells, the Ag NW + Au NP/TiO2-based Sb2S3 hybrid solar cells exhibited an improvement of approximately 40% in the cell efficiency due to the significant increase in both Jsc and Voc. These enhanced Jsc and Voc were attributed to the increased surface area, charge-collection efficiency, and light absorption by embedding the Ag NWs + Au NPs composite. The Ag NW + Au NP/TiO2-based Sb2S3 hybrid solar cells showed the highest efficiency of 2.17%, demonstrating that the Ag NW + Au NP-embedded TiO2 photoelectrode was a suitable photoelectrode structure to improve the power conversion efficiency in the Sb2S3 hybrid solar cells.

9.
Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord ; 32(1): 62-69, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29028649

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) has been associated with a variety of proteinopathies, mainly transactive response DNA-binding protein, but also with tau and ß-amyloid. Recently selective tau tracers for positron emission tomography (PET) have been developed to determine the presence of cerebral tau deposits in vivo. Here, we investigated the topographical distribution of THK5351 in svPPA patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five svPPA patients, 14 Alzheimer's disease patients, and 15 age-matched normal controls underwent [F]-THK5351 PET scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and detailed neuropsychological tests. [F]-fluorodeoxyglucose PET was obtained in 3 svPPA patients, whereas the remaining 2 underwent amyloid PET using [F]-flutemetamol. Tau distribution among the 3 groups was compared using regions of interest-based and voxel-based statistical analyses. RESULTS: In svPPA patients, [F]-THK5351 retention was elevated in the anteroinferior and lateral temporal cortices compared with the normal controls group (left>right), and in the left inferior and temporal polar region compared with Alzheimer's disease patients. [F]-THK5351 retention inversely correlated with glucose metabolism, whereas regional THK retention correlated with clinical severity. [F]-flutemetamol scans were negative for ß-amyloid. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that [F]-THK5351 retention may be detected in cortical regions correlating with svPPA pathology.


Subject(s)
Aminopyridines , Aphasia, Primary Progressive/diagnostic imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Quinolines , Radiopharmaceuticals , Aged , Aphasia, Primary Progressive/pathology , Brain/pathology , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , tau Proteins
10.
Neurobiol Aging ; 59: 210-219, 2017 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28890300

ABSTRACT

This study aims to evaluate the clinical validity of [18F]THK5351 positron emission tomography (PET) for the assessment of disease progression and symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Fifty-one patients with AD dementia, 30 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and 43 controls with normal cognition (NC) were included. All subjects underwent [18F]THK5351 PET, 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging, and detailed neuropsychological tests. Regions of interest and voxel-based statistical analyses were performed. In patients with AD dementia, [18F]THK5351 retention was greater in most association cortices as well as the limbic area compared to NC or aMCI participants. Patients with aMCI also showed higher THK5351 retention in those areas compared to NC. [18F]THK5351 retention significantly correlated with neuropsychological test results. Negative correlations between [18F]THK5351 and [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose were observed in AD dementia and aMCI groups. Mirror images of [18F]THK5351 retention and glucose hypometabolism in [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose were noticeable in the focal variants of AD. [18F]THK5351 PET reflects disease severity and symptoms in AD. Our results suggest [18F]THK5351 is reflective of tau-related AD pathology.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/metabolism , Positron-Emission Tomography , tau Proteins/metabolism , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Aminopyridines , Amnesia/diagnostic imaging , Amnesia/metabolism , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnostic imaging , Cognitive Dysfunction/metabolism , Disease Progression , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Quinolines , Radiopharmaceuticals , Severity of Illness Index
11.
Brain ; 140(1): 158-170, 2017 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28008000

ABSTRACT

Leukoaraiosis or white matter hyperintensities are frequently observed on magnetic resonance imaging of stroke patients. We investigated how white matter hyperintensity volumes affect stroke outcomes, generally and by subtype. In total, 5035 acute ischaemic stroke patients were enrolled. Strokes were classified as large artery atherosclerosis, small vessel occlusion, or cardioembolism. White matter hyperintensity volumes were stratified into quintiles. Mean age (± standard deviation) was 66.3 ± 12.8, 59.6% male. Median (interquartile range) modified Rankin Scale score was 2 (1-3) at discharge and 1 (0-3) at 3 months; 16.5% experienced early neurological deterioration, and 3.3% recurrent stroke. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test with adjustment for age, stroke severity, sex, and thrombolysis status showed that the distributions of 3-month modified Rankin Scale scores differed across white matter hyperintensity quintiles (P < 0.001). Multiple ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that higher white matter hyperintensity quintiles were independently associated with worse 3-month modified Rankin Scale scores; adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for the second to fifth quintiles versus the first quintile were 1.29 (1.10-1.52), 1.40 (1.18-1.66), 1.69 (1.42-2.02) and 2.03 (1.69-2.43), respectively. For large artery atherosclerosis (39.0%), outcomes varied by white matter hyperintensity volume (P = 0.01, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test), and the upper three white matter hyperintensity quintiles (versus the first quintile) had worse 3-month modified Rankin Scale scores; adjusted odds ratios were 1.45 (1.10-1.90), 1.86 (1.41-2.47), and 1.89 (1.41-2.54), respectively. Patients with large artery atherosclerosis were vulnerable to early neurological deterioration (19.4%), and the top two white matter hyperintensity quintiles were more vulnerable still: 23.5% and 22.3%. Moreover, higher white matter hyperintensities were associated with poor modified Rankin Scale improvement: adjusted odds ratios for the upper two quintiles versus the first quintile were 0.66 (0.47-0.94) and 0.62 (0.43-0.89), respectively. For small vessel occlusion (17.8%), outcomes tended to vary by white matter hyperintensitiy volume (P = 0.10, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test), and the highest quintile was associated with worse 3-month modified Rankin Scale scores: adjusted odds ratio for the fifth quintile versus first quintile, 1.98 (1.23-3.18). In this subtype, worse white matter hyperintensities were associated with worse National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores at presentation. For cardioembolism (20.6%), outcomes did not vary significantly by white matter hyperintensity volume (P = 0.19, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test); however, the adjusted odds ratio for the highest versus lowest quintiles was 1.62 (1.09-2.40). Regardless of stroke subtype, white matter hyperintensities were not associated with stroke recurrence within 3 months of follow-up. In conclusion, white matter hyperintensity volume independently correlates with stroke outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke. There are some suggestions that stroke outcomes may be affected by leukoaraiosis differentially depending on stroke subtypes, to be confirmed in future investigations.


Subject(s)
Brain Ischemia , Leukoaraiosis/diagnostic imaging , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Severity of Illness Index , Stroke , Aged , Brain Ischemia/diagnostic imaging , Brain Ischemia/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Stroke/diagnostic imaging , Stroke/physiopathology
12.
Stroke ; 45(12): 3567-75, 2014 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25388424

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to generate rigorous graphical and statistical reference data based on volumetric measurements for assessing the relative severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in patients with stroke. METHODS: We prospectively mapped WMHs from 2699 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke (mean age=66.8±13.0 years) enrolled consecutively from 11 nationwide stroke centers, from patient (fluid-attenuated-inversion-recovery) MRIs onto a standard brain template set. Using multivariable analyses, we assessed the impact of major (age/hypertension) and minor risk factors on WMH variability. RESULTS: We have produced a large reference data library showing the location and quantity of WMHs as topographical frequency-volume maps. This easy-to-use graphical reference data set allows the quantitative estimation of the severity of WMH as a percentile rank score. For all patients (median age=69 years), multivariable analysis showed that age, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and left ventricular hypertrophy were independently associated with increasing WMH (0-9.4%, median=0.6%, of the measured brain volume). For younger (≤69) hypertensives (n=819), age and left ventricular hypertrophy were positively associated with WMH. For older (≥70) hypertensives (n=944), age and cholesterol had positive relationships with WMH, whereas diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and atrial fibrillation had negative relationships with WMH. For younger nonhypertensives (n=578), age and diabetes mellitus were positively related to WMH. For older nonhypertensives (n=328), only age was positively associated with WMH. CONCLUSIONS: We have generated a novel graphical WMH grading (Kim statistical WMH scoring) system, correlated to risk factors and adjusted for age/hypertension. Further studies are required to confirm whether the combined data set allows grading of WMH burden in individual patients and a tailored patient-specific interpretation in ischemic stroke-related clinical practice.


Subject(s)
Stroke/pathology , White Matter/pathology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged
13.
Fish Shellfish Immunol ; 41(2): 317-25, 2014 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25240979

ABSTRACT

In recent years, Streptococcus parauberis infection has been an emerging problem in aquaculture in South Korea because of its more frequent isolation than other streptococcal bacteria including Streptococcus iniae. To develop effective treatment and prophylaxis methods against this emerging disease by S. parauberis, it is necessary to understand the underlying pathogenic mechanisms. To uncover the pathogenicity, the mutant strain of S. parauberis with a deleted phosphoglucomutase (PGM) gene which has been known to be an important virulence factor in bacterial pathogens was generated to investigate the relationship between virulence and gene function using an allelic exchange mutagenesis method. Allelic exchange mutagenesis of the phosphoglucomutase gene resulted in phenotype changes including decreased extracellular capsules, reduced buoyancy, increased hydrophobicity and reduced growth. Moreover, the S. parauberis mutant was more sensitive to innate immune clearance mechanisms including serum, mucus and phagocyte killing and could not induce mortality in olive flounder. These phenotype changes and the attenuated virulence of the pathogen to fish could be due to the reduction in capsule production by mutation of the PGM gene. The results provide evidences that phosphoglucomutase expression contributes to S. parauberis virulence in fish by affecting bacterial survival against the host's humoral and cellular defense mechanisms.


Subject(s)
Communicable Diseases, Emerging/veterinary , Fish Diseases/immunology , Fish Diseases/microbiology , Flounder , Phosphoglucomutase/genetics , Streptococcal Infections/veterinary , Streptococcus/enzymology , Animals , Aquaculture , Cloning, Molecular , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/immunology , DNA Primers/genetics , Gene Knockout Techniques , Immunity, Innate/immunology , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Mutagenesis , Phosphoglucomutase/immunology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Republic of Korea , Streptococcal Infections/immunology , Streptococcus/pathogenicity
14.
Vet Parasitol ; 203(1-2): 212-6, 2014 Jun 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24582523

ABSTRACT

Thelohanellus kitauei and Thelohanellus hovorkai are myxozoan parasites pathogenic in cyprinid fish especially adult Israel carp and common carp. In the present study, the complete 18S rRNA-ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 sequences of these two Thelohanellus species were cloned with primers designed from information from Genbank and previous studies. The results revealed that ITS1 and ITS2 sequences of T. kitauei and T. hovorkai were clearly distinguished although the 18S rRNA regions of the two parasites were highly conserved. Based on these sequences, new primer sets were designed for specific identification of these two parasites by multiplex PCR. Both single and multiplex PCR methods using these primers could identify these two myxozoan parasites from mixed DNA samples successfully. Our findings provide a powerful tool for the differentiation of the highly similar pathogenic Thelohanellus species for specific detection for the early diagnosis of diseases.


Subject(s)
Fish Diseases/diagnosis , Fish Diseases/parasitology , Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , Myxozoa/genetics , Parasitic Diseases, Animal/diagnosis , Parasitic Diseases, Animal/parasitology , Animals , Carps/parasitology , DNA Primers/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics , Genes, rRNA/genetics , Species Specificity
15.
J Nanosci Nanotechnol ; 14(8): 5988-92, 2014 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25936042

ABSTRACT

A phenyl compound with electron withdrawing substituents, 3-fluoro-4-cyanophenol (FCP), was used as an additive in polymer solar cells with a P3HT [poly(3-hexyl thiophene)]:PCBM [[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester] blend film. Under simulated solar illumination of AM 1.5 (100 mW/cm2), the devices fabricated using a P3HT:PCBM (1:0.9 w:w) layer blended with 5 wt% of FCP achieved an enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.8% due to the improved short circuit current and fill factor, as compared to reference cells with PCE = 4.1%. UV-visible absorption spectra, X-ray measurements and carrier mobility studies revealed that FCP facilitated the ordering of the P3HT chains, resulting in higher absorbance, larger crystal size, closer packing and enhanced hole mobility.


Subject(s)
Polymers/chemistry , Solar Energy
16.
Fish Shellfish Immunol ; 35(2): 413-20, 2013 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23707742

ABSTRACT

Streptococcus parauberis causing systemic infections has been recognized as a major bacterial disease in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in South Korea. Although an emerging outbreak of S. parauberis has affected heavily farmed fish species starry flounder Platichthys stellatus, no study of the innate immune responses and pathogenic mechanisms in starry flounder is available. In the present study, starry flounder were intraperitoneally challenged with four S. parauberis strains to investigate changes in innate immune responses. Significant increases in serum lysozyme activities, superoxide production of kidney leucocytes, and serum superoxide dismutase activities were observed following experimental injection of S. parauberis. All these data suggested that the innate immune parameters were highly modulated during the S. parauberis infection process to render protection to the starry flounder. However, S. parauberis also exhibited the mechanisms to complete disease establishment by avoiding host immune responses. S. parauberis could survive and proliferate in the mucus, serum and kidney leucocytes of starry flounder. In particular, the strain isolated from the starry flounder showed the higher survival ability than other originated strains in the tested host fish.


Subject(s)
Fish Diseases/immunology , Flounder , Immunity, Innate , Streptococcal Infections/veterinary , Streptococcus/physiology , Animals , Fish Diseases/microbiology , Injections, Intraperitoneal/veterinary , Kidney/immunology , Kidney/microbiology , Leukocytes/immunology , Leukocytes/microbiology , Muramidase/blood , Nitroblue Tetrazolium/metabolism , Organ Specificity , Streptococcal Infections/immunology , Streptococcal Infections/microbiology , Superoxide Dismutase/blood
17.
BMC Vet Res ; 9: 10, 2013 Jan 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23311870

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Parasite peptidases have been actively studied as vaccine candidates or drug targets for prevention or treatment of parasitic diseases because of their important roles for survival and/or invasion in the host. Like other parasites, the facultative histophagous ciliate Miamiensis avidus would possess peptidases that are closely associated with the invasion into the host tissue and survival in the host. RESULTS: The 17 genes encoding peptidases, including seven cathepsin-like cysteine peptidases, four serine carboxypeptidases, a eukaryotic aspartyl protease family protein, an ATP-dependent metalloprotease FtsH family protein, three leishmanolysin family proteins and a peptidase family M49 protein were identified from a Miamiensis avidus cDNA library by BLAST X search. Expression of genes encoding two cysteine peptidases, three leishmanolysin-like peptidases and a peptidase family M49 protein was up-regulated in the cell-fed ciliates compared to the starved ciliates. Especially, one cysteine peptidase (MaPro 4) and one leishmanolysin-like peptidase (MaPro 14) were transcribed more than 100-folds in the cell-fed ciliates. CONCLUSIONS: The genetic information and transcriptional characteristics of the peptidases in the present results would be helpful to elucidate the role of peptidases in the invasion of scuticociliates into their hosts.


Subject(s)
Ciliophora Infections/veterinary , Ciliophora/genetics , Animals , Ciliophora Infections/parasitology , Cloning, Molecular , DNA, Protozoan/genetics , Fish Diseases/parasitology , Flounder/parasitology , Gene Expression Profiling/veterinary , Genes, Protozoan/genetics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , Salmon/parasitology , Sequence Alignment
18.
J Nanosci Nanotechnol ; 12(5): 4147-53, 2012 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22852361

ABSTRACT

The synthesized n-type perylene derivative, N,N'-bis-(4-bromophenyl)-1,6,7,12-tetrakis(4-n-butoxy-phenoxy)-3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxdiimide (PIBr), was applied as an additive to polymer solar cells (PSCs) with P3HT [poly(3-hexylthiophene)]:PCBM [[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester] blend films. Without post thermal annealing, a considerable improvement of about 98% in power conversion efficiency was achieved by the addition of 1 wt% PIBr into a P3HT:PCBM layer, when compared with that of reference cell without the additive. The results, in combination with relevant data from UV-Vis. absorption, photoluminescence, X-ray measurements and carrier mobility studies, revealed that the addition of the perylene compound within active layer contributed to more effective charge transfer and enhanced electron mobility.

19.
Korean J Parasitol ; 50(2): 103-11, 2012 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22711920

ABSTRACT

Intestinal giant-cystic disease (IGCD) of the Israel carp (Cyprinus carpio nudus) has been recognized as one of the most serious diseases afflicting inland farmed fish in the Republic of Korea, and Thelohanellus kitauei has been identified as the causative agent of the disease. Until now, studies concerning IGCD caused by T. kitauei in the Israel carp have been limited to morphological and histopathological examinations. However, these types of diagnostic examinations are relatively time-consuming, and the infection frequently cannot be detected in its early stages. In this study, we cloned the full-length 18S rRNA gene of T. kitauei isolated from diseased Israel carps, and carried out molecular identification by comparing the sequence with those of other myxosporeans. Moreover, conventional PCR and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) using oligonucleotide primers for the amplification of 18S rRNA gene fragment were established for further use as methods for rapid diagnosis of IGCD. Our results demonstrated that both the conventional PCR and real-time quantitative PCR systems applied herein are effective for rapid detection of T. kitauei spores in fish tissues and environmental water.


Subject(s)
Fish Diseases/diagnosis , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods , Myxozoa/isolation & purification , Parasitic Diseases, Animal/diagnosis , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Veterinary Medicine/methods , Animals , Carps , DNA Primers/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Fish Diseases/parasitology , Molecular Sequence Data , Myxozoa/genetics , Parasitic Diseases, Animal/parasitology , RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics , Republic of Korea , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Time Factors
20.
J Pharmacol Exp Ther ; 340(3): 510-9, 2012 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22128347

ABSTRACT

Wound healing generally induces an inflammatory response associated with tissue fibrosis in which activated macrophage and myofibroblast cells are primarily involved. Although this is known to be the underlying mechanism for scarring and various fibrotic pathologies, no effective intervention is currently available. We identified (3-(2-(3-(morpholinomethyl)phenyl)thieno[3,2-b]pyridin-7-ylamino)phenol (LCB 03-0110), a thienopyridine derivative, as a potent inhibitor of discoidin domain receptor family tyrosine kinases and discovered that this compound strongly inhibits several tyrosine kinases, including the c-Src family, spleen tyrosine kinase, Bruton's tyrosine kinase, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, which are important for immune cell signaling and inflammatory reactions. LCB 03-0110 suppressed the proliferation and migration of primary dermal fibroblasts induced by transforming growth factor ß1 and type I collagen, and this result correlated with the inhibition ability of the compound against enhanced expression of α-smooth muscle actin and activation of Akt1 and focal adhesion kinase. In J774A.1 macrophage cells activated by lipopolysaccharide LCB 03-0110 inhibited cell migration and nitric oxide, inducible nitric-oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase 2, and tumor necrosis factor-α synthesis. LCB 03-0110 applied topically to full excisional wounds on rabbit ears suppressed the accumulation of myofibroblast and macrophage cells in the healing wound and reduced hypertrophic scar formation after wound closing, without delaying the wound closing process. Taken together, the pharmacological activities of LCB 03-0110 suggest that it could be an effective agent for suppressing fibroinflammation by simultaneously targeting activated fibroblasts and macrophages.


Subject(s)
Aminopyridines/pharmacology , Cicatrix/prevention & control , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Macrophage Activation/drug effects , Macrophages/drug effects , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Receptors, Mitogen/antagonists & inhibitors , Thiophenes/pharmacology , src-Family Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Discoidin Domain Receptors , Female , Humans , Macrophages/immunology , Mice , Rabbits , Wound Healing/drug effects
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