“Tense” and “Lax” Stops in Korean

Korean is thought to be unique in having three kinds of voiceless stops: aspirated /p h t h k h /, tense /p* t* k*/, and lax /p t k/. The contrast between tense and lax stops raises two theoretical problems. First, to distinguish them either a new feature [tense] is needed, or the contrast in voicing (or aspiration) must be increased from two to three. Either way there is a large increase in the number of possible stops in the world's languages, but the expansion lacks support beyond Korean. Second, initial aspirated and tense consonants correlate with a high tone, and lax and voiced consonants correlate with a low tone. The correlation cannot be explained in the standard tonogenesis model (voiceless-high and voiced-low). We argue instead that (a) underlyingly "tense" stops are regular voiceless unaspirated stops, and "lax" stops are regular voiced stops, (b) there is no compelling evidence for a new distinctive feature, and (c) the consonant-tone correlation is another case of voiceless-high and voiced-low. We conclude that Korean does not have an unusual phonology, and there is no need to complicate feature theory.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42997/1/10831_2004_Article_5147651.pd

Methodological Considerations of Electron Spin Resonance Spin Trapping Techniques for Measuring Reactive Oxygen Species generated from metal oxide nanomaterials

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated on the surfaces of nanomaterials are important for understanding their toxicity and toxic mechanisms, which are in turn beneficial for manufacturing more biocompatible nanomaterials in many industrial fields. Electron spin resonance (ESR) is a useful tool for detecting ROS formation. However, using this technique without first considering the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials and proper conditions of the spin trapping agent (such as incubation time) may lead to misinterpretation of the resulting data. In this report, we suggest methodological considerations for ESR as pertains to magnetism, sample preparation and proper incubation time with spin trapping agents. Based on our results, each spin trapping agent should be given the proper incubation time. For nanomaterials having magnetic properties, it is useful to remove these nanomaterials via centrifugation after reacting with spin trapping agents. Sonication for the purpose of sample dispersion and sample light exposure should be controlled during ESR in order to enhance the obtained ROS signal. This report will allow researchers to better design ESR spin trapping applications involving nanomaterials

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation: analysis of Korean organ transplantation registry (KOTRY) data

Background The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to lung transplantation has greatly increased. However, data regarding the clinical outcomes of this approach are lacking. The objective of this multicenter prospective observational cohort study was to evaluate lung transplantation outcomes in Korean Organ Transplantation Registry (KOTRY) patients for whom ECMO was used as a bridge to transplantation. Methods Between March 2015 and December 2017, a total of 112 patients received lung transplantation and were registered in the KOTRY, which is a prospective, multicenter cohort registry. The entire cohort was divided into two groups: the control group (n = 85, 75.9%) and bridge-ECMO group (n = 27, 24.1%). Results There were no significant differences in pre-transplant and intraoperative characteristics except for poorer oxygenation, more ventilator use, and longer operation time in the bridge-ECMO group. The prevalence of primary graft dysfunction at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h after transplantation did not differ between the two groups. Although postoperative hospital stays were longer in the bridge-ECMO group than in the control group, hospital mortality did not differ between the two groups (25.9% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.212). The majority of patients (70.4% of the bridge-ECMO group and 77.6% of the control group) were discharged directly to their homes. Finally, the use of ECMO as a bridge to lung transplantation did not significantly affect overall survival and graft function. Conclusions Short- and long-term post-transplant outcomes of bridge-ECMO patients were comparable to recipients who did not receive ECMO.This work was supported by a fund (2014-ER6301-00, 2014-ER6301-01, 2014-ER6301-02, 2017-ER6301-00) by Research of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Validation of Biomarker-Based ABCD Score in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with a Non-Gender CHA2DS2-VASc Score 0-1:A Korean Multi-Center Cohort

PURPOSE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with low to intermediate risk, defined as non-gender CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score of 0–1, are still at risk of stroke. This study verified the usefulness of ABCD score [age (≥60 years), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-BNP (≥300 pg/mL), creatinine clearance (<50 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), and dimension of the left atrium (≥45 mm)] for stroke risk stratification in non-gender CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score 0–1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multi-center cohort study retrospectively analyzed AF patients with non-gender CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score 0–1. The primary endpoint was the incidence of stroke with or without antithrombotic therapy (ATT). An ABCD score was validated. RESULTS: Overall, 2694 patients [56.3±9.5 years; female, 726 (26.9%)] were followed-up for 4.0±2.8 years. The overall stroke rate was 0.84/100 person-years (P-Y), stratified as follows: 0.46/100 P-Y for an ABCD score of 0; 1.02/100 P-Y for an ABCD score ≥1. The ABCD score was superior to non-gender CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score in the stroke risk stratification (C-index=0.618, p=0.015; net reclassification improvement=0.576, p=0.040; integrated differential improvement=0.033, p=0.066). ATT was prescribed in 2353 patients (86.5%), and the stroke rate was significantly lower in patients receiving non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy and an ABCD score ≥1 than in those without ATT (0.44/100 P–Y vs. 1.55/100 P-Y; hazard ratio=0.26, 95% confidence interval 0.11–0.63, p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The biomarker-based ABCD score demonstrated improved stroke risk stratification in AF patients with non-gender CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score 0–1. Furthermore, NOAC with an ABCD score ≥1 was associated with significantly lower stroke rate in AF patients with non-gender CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score 0–1

Experimental infection of chickens, ducks and quails with the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) of the H5N1 subtype have spread since 2003 in poultry and wild birds in Asia, Europe and Africa. In Korea, the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks took place in 2003/2004, 2006/2007 and 2008. As the 2006/2007 isolates differ phylogenetically from the 2003/2004 isolates, we assessed the clinical responses of chickens, ducks and quails to intranasal inoculation of the 2006/2007 index case virus, A/chicken/Korea/IS/06. All the chickens and quails died on 3 days and 3-6 days post-inoculation (DPI), respectively, whilst the ducks only showed signs of mild depression. The uninoculated chickens and quails placed soon after with the inoculated flock died on 5.3 and 7.5 DPI, respectively. Both oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were taken for all three species during various time intervals after inoculation. It was found that oropharyngeal swabs showed higher viral titers than in cloacal swabs applicable to all three avian species. The chickens and quails shed the virus until they died (up to 3 to 6 days after inoculation, respectively) whilst the ducks shed the virus on 2-4 DPI. The postmortem tissues collected from the chickens and quails on day 3 and days 4-5 and from clinically normal ducks that were euthanized on day 4 contained the virus. However, the ducks had significantly lower viral titers than the chickens or quails. Thus, the three avian species varied significantly in their clinical signs, mortality, tissue virus titers, and duration of virus shedding. Our observations suggest that duck and quail farms should be monitored particularly closely for the presence of HPAIV so that further virus transmission to other avian or mammalian hosts can be prevented

Regulation of mouse steroidogenesis by WHISTLE and JMJD1C through histone methylation balance

The dynamic exchange of histone lysine methylation status by histone methyltransferases and demethylases has been previously implicated as an important factor in chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation. Using immunoaffinity TAP analysis, we purified the WHISTLE-interacting protein complexes, which include the heat shock protein HSP90α and the jumonji C-domain harboring the histone demethylase JMJD1C. In this study, we demonstrate that JMJD1C specifically demethylates histone H3K9 mono- and di-methylation, and mediates transcriptional activation. We also provide evidence suggesting that both WHISTLE and JMJD1C performs functions in the development of mouse testes by regulating the expression of the steroidogenesis marker, p450c17, via SF-1-mediated transcription. Furthermore, we demonstrate that WHISTLE is recruited to the p450c17 promoter via SF-1 and represses the transcription of prepubertal stages of steroidogenesis, after which JMJD1C replaces WHISTLE and activates the expression of target genes via SF-1-mediated interactions. Our results demonstrate that the histone methylation balance mediated by HMTase WHISTLE and demethylase JMJD1C perform a transcriptional regulatory function in mouse testis development