Removal of Pb and Cu ions from aqueous solution by Mn3O4-coated activated carbon

Mn3O4-coated activated carbon (Mn3O4/AC) was prepared by supercritical technique and applied for the removal of Pb and Cu ions from aqueous solution. Kinetic and isotherm data of the adsorption by Mn3O4/AC were compared with those of activated carbon (AC) and pure Mn3O4. Adsorption of metals was adequately described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models. Maximum adsorption capacities of Pb and Cu ions determined by Langmuir model were enhanced 2.2 and 6.1 times for Pb and Cu ions by Mn3O4 coating onto AC, which might be attributed to reduced resistance of intraparticle diffusion and enhanced surface electrostatic interaction and complexation by Mn3O4

Should HLA-B*5701 Screening Be Performed in Every Ethnic Group before Starting Abacavir?

Human leukocyte antigen allele (HLA)-B*5701 is associated with abacavir hypersensitivity. However, the carriage rate of HLA-B*5701 has rarely been studied in Asians. In 534 Korean patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection, HLA-B*5701 status was determined by polymerase chain reaction with HLA-B*5701-specific primers. No patients had the HLA-B*5701 allele (95% confidence interval, 0%-0.7%). This explains the paucity of immunologically confirmed cases of abacavir hypersensitivity in Koreans.Saag M, 2008, CLIN INFECT DIS, V46, P1111, DOI 10.1086/529382Mallal S, 2008, NEW ENGL J MED, V358, P568*PAN ANT GUID AD A, 2008, GUID US ANT AG HIV 1Waters LJ, 2007, AIDS, V21, P2533Sun HY, 2007, J ANTIMICROB CHEMOTH, V60, P599, DOI 10.1093/jac/dkm243Rauch A, 2006, CLIN INFECT DIS, V43, P99Phillips EJ, 2006, CLIN INFECT DIS, V43, P103Martin AM, 2005, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V65, P571, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00401.xLee KW, 2005, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V65, P437, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00386.xMiddleton D, 2004, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V63, P555Phillips EJ, 2002, AIDS, V16, P2223Saito S, 2000, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V56, P522Park MH, 1999, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V53, P3861

Pattern of Hepatitis A Incidence According to Area Characteristics Using National Health Insurance Data

Objectives: Over the past several years, the incidence of hepatitis A infection has been increasing rapidly in the young-adult population in Korea. We examined the effects of area-level socioeconomic status and environmental hygiene on the incidence of hepatitis A. Methods: This study is based on the registered national population of Korea and the national health insurance data from 2004 to 2008. A total of 73 459 individuals were confirmed to have had hepatitis A. The standardized incidences of hepatitis A in 232 districts adjusted for sex and age of people were calculated for each year, and the rate ratios of the incidence rates were estimated according to area-level socioeconomic status and environmental hygiene using multiple Poisson regression models. Results: The incidence rates of hepatitis A infection were 15.6 (per 100 000) in 2004, 19.0 (per 100 000) in 2005, 27.2 (per 100 000) in 2006, 25.1 (per 100 000) in 2007, and 61.7 (per 100 000) in 2008. The analysis of the area-level effects showed that residential areas of the less deprived than other regions, areas with higher levels of education, and heavily populated areas were significantly associated with increased risk. Conclusions: There is a very strong possibility that both area-level socioeconomic status and environmental hygiene play a role in increasing the risk of hepatitis A infection in Korea. Therefore, to reduce hepatitis A infection, we need a nationwide strategy that considers these area-level characteristics

A Case of Hypersensitivity to Mosquito Bite Associated with Epstein-Barr Viral Infection and Natural Killer Cell Lymphocytosis

Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) is a disorder characterized by a necrotic skin reaction and generalized symptoms subsequent to mosquito bites. It has been suggested that HMB is associated with chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma. We describe here a Korean child who had HMB associated with chronic EBV infection and natural killer cell lymphocytosis. A 5-yr-old boy was suffered from necrotic skin lesions on the right ear lobe. Type A EB virus was detected from hlood cells and bone marrow biospy recognized hemophagocyrosis

Evaluation of 28 Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines for Use as Unrelated Donors in Stem Cell Therapy: Implications of HLA and ABO Genotypes

For human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to be used clinically, it is imperative that immune responses evoked by hESCs and their derivates after transplantation should be prevented. Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and ABO blood group antigens are important histocompatibility factors in graft rejection. HLA matching between recipient and unrelated donors, in particular, is important in improving outcomes in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We have established and successfully maintained 29 hESC lines and analyzed the HLA and ABO genotypes of these lines. HLA-A, -B, -C and -DR (DRB1) genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequence-based typing and ABO genotyping was carried out by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. To determine what proportion of the Korean population would be covered by these cell lines in organ transplantation, 27 cell lines with HLA-A, -B, and -DR data were evaluated for HCT (cord blood) donors and 28 cell lines with HLA-DR and ABO data were evaluated for solid organ (kidney) transplantation donors, and then compared the data with those from 6,740 donated cord bloods. When <= 2 HLA mismatches are allowed for HCT, as currently accepted for cord blood transplantation, it was estimated that about 16% and 25% of the possible recipients can find one or more donor cell lines with mismatches at A, B, DRB1 allele level and at A, B antigen/DRB1 allele level, respectively. When HLA-DR antigen level matching and ABO compatibility was considered for solid organ (kidney) transplantation, it was estimated that about 29% and 96% of the possible recipients can find one or more ABO-compatible donor cell lines with 0 and 1 DR mismatches, respectively. We provided the first report on the HLA and ABO genotypes of hESC lines, and estimated the degree of HLA and ABO matching in organ transplantation for the Korean population.Yu JY, 2009, SCIENCE, V324, P797, DOI 10.1126/science.1172482Kaji K, 2009, NATURE, V458, P771, DOI 10.1038/nature07864Lee JY, 2010, FERTIL STERIL, V93, P976, DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.017Holdsworth R, 2009, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V73, P95, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2008.01183.xLehec SC, 2009, CELL TRANSPLANT, V18, P941, DOI 10.3727/096368909X471323Oishi K, 2009, CELL TRANSPLANT, V18, P581Molne J, 2008, TRANSPLANTATION, V86, P1407, DOI 10.1097/TP.0b013e31818a6805Fernandes AM, 2010, CELL TRANSPLANT, V19, P509, DOI 10.3727/096368909X485067Stadtfeld M, 2008, SCIENCE, V322, P945, DOI 10.1126/science.1162494Wang GW, 2005, BIOCHEM BIOPH RES CO, V330, P934, DOI 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.03.058Hoffman LM, 2005, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V23, P699, DOI 10.1038/nbt1102Li Y, 2005, BIOTECHNOL BIOENG, V91, P688, DOI 10.1002/bit.20536Vallier L, 2005, J CELL SCI, V118, P4495, DOI 10.1242/jcs.02553Taylor CJ, 2005, LANCET, V366, P2019Boyd AS, 2005, ADV DRUG DELIVER REV, V57, P1944, DOI 10.1016/j.addr.2005.08.004Ludwig TE, 2006, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V24, P185, DOI 10.1038/nbt1177Drukker M, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P221, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0188Priddle H, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P815, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0356Reubinoff BE, 2000, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V18, P399Amit M, 2000, DEV BIOL, V227, P271Xu CH, 2001, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V19, P971Drukker M, 2002, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V99, P9864, DOI 10.1073/pnas.142298299Richards M, 2002, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V20, P933, DOI 10.1038/nbt726Bradley JA, 2002, NAT REV IMMUNOL, V2, P859, DOI 10.1038/nri934Amit M, 2003, BIOL REPROD, V68, P2150, DOI 10.1095/biolreprod.102.012583Li L, 2004, STEM CELLS, V22, P448Drukker M, 2004, TRENDS BIOTECHNOL, V22, P136, DOI 10.1016/j.tibtech.2004.01.003Thomson JA, 1998, SCIENCE, V282, P1145Petersdorf EW, 1999, CURR OPIN IMMUNOL, V11, P521Bodnar MS, 2004, STEM CELLS DEV, V13, P243Koivisto H, 2004, REPROD BIOMED ONLINE, V9, P330Rocha V, 2004, NEW ENGL J MED, V351, P2276Laughlin MJ, 2004, NEW ENGL J MED, V351, P2265Lee JB, 2005, BIOL REPROD, V72, P42, DOI 10.1095/biolrepod.104.033480Xu RH, 2005, NAT METHODS, V2, P185, DOI 10.1038/NMETH744Beattie GM, 2005, STEM CELLS, V23, P489, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2004-0279Genbacev O, 2005, FERTIL STERIL, V83, P1517, DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.01.086Oh SKW, 2006, CLIN EXP PHARMACOL P, V33, P489Skottman H, 2006, FEBS LETT, V580, P2875, DOI 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.03.083Xiao L, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P1476, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0299Stussi G, 2006, TRANSFUS APHER SCI, V35, P59, DOI 10.1016/j.transci.2006.05.009Takahashi K, 2006, CELL, V126, P663Guhr A, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P2187, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2006-0053Klumpp TR, 2006, BONE MARROW TRANSPL, V38, P615, DOI 10.1038/sj.bmt.1705496Nakajima F, 2007, STEM CELLS, V25, P983, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2006-0566Huangfu DW, 2008, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V26, P1269, DOI 10.1038/nbt.1502Petersdorf EW, 2008, CURR OPIN IMMUNOL, V20, P588, DOI 10.1016/j.coi.2008.06.014Chen YT, 2008, STEM CELLS DEV, V17, P853, DOI 10.1089/scd.2007.0226Park IH, 2008, CELL, V134, P877, DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2008.07.041Swijnenburg RJ, 2008, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V105, P12991, DOI 10.1073/pnas.0805802105Unger C, 2008, HUM MOL GENET, V17, pR48, DOI 10.1093/hmg/ddn079Drukker M, 2008, SEMIN IMMUNOL, V20, P123, DOI 10.1016/j.smim.2007.11.002Revazova ES, 2008, CLONING STEM CELLS, V10, P11, DOI 10.1089/clo.2007.0063Mountford JC, 2008, TRANSFUSION MED, V18, P1, DOI 10.1111/j.1365-3148.2007.00807.xPark IH, 2008, NATURE, V451, P141, DOI 10.1038/nature06534Nakagawa M, 2008, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V26, P101, DOI 10.1038/nbt1374Buzzeo MP, 2008, CELL TRANSPLANT, V17, P489Kamani N, 2008, BIOL BLOOD MARROW TR, V14, P1, DOI 10.1016/j.bbmt.2007.11.003Saric T, 2008, CELLS TISSUES ORGANS, V188, P78, DOI 10.1159/000118784Navarro-Alvarez N, 2008, CELL TRANSPLANT, V17, P27KASTENBERG ZJ, 2008, TRANSPLANT REV ORLAN, V22, P215Lee SJ, 2007, BLOOD, V110, P4576, DOI 10.1182/blood-2007-06-097386Shaw BE, 2007, BLOOD, V110, P4560, DOI 10.1182/blood-2007-06-095265Strom S, 2007, HUM REPROD, V22, P3051, DOI 10.1093/humep/dem35Lin G, 2007, CELL RES, V17, P999, DOI 10.1038/cr.2007.97Crook JM, 2007, CELL STEM CELL, V1, P490Helming AM, 2007, PEDIATR BLOOD CANCER, V49, P313, DOI 10.1002/pbc.21025Cabrera CM, 2007, CELL BIOL INT, V31, P1072, DOI 10.1016/j.cellbi.2007.03.015Lei T, 2007, CELL RES, V17, P682, DOI 10.1038/cr.2007.61Okita K, 2007, NATURE, V448, P313, DOI 10.1038/nature05934Wernig M, 2007, NATURE, V448, P318, DOI 10.1038/nature05944Maherali N, 2007, CELL STEM CELL, V1, P55, DOI 10.1016/j.stem.2007.05.014Eapen M, 2007, LANCET, V369, P1947

Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of Streptomyces strains producing multiple antinematode drugs

Background : Nematodes are parasitic animals that cause over 100 billion US dollars loss in agricultural business. The whole-genomes of two Streptomyces strains, Streptomyces spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, were sequenced. Both strains produce spectinabilin, an antinematode drug. Its secondary metabolism was examined to aid the development of an efficient nematicidal drug-producing host strain. Results : The whole-genome sequences of S. spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965 were analyzed using PacBio and Illumina sequencing platforms, and assembled using hybrid methodology. The total contig lengths for KCTC9218T and AN091965 were 9.97 Mb and 9.84 Mb, respectively. A total of 8,374 and 8,054 protein-coding genes, as well as 39 and 45 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were identified in KCTC9218T and AN091965, respectively. 18.4 ± 6.45 mg/L and 213.89 ± 21.30 mg/L of spectinabilin were produced by S. spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, respectively. Pine wilt disease caused by nematode was successfully prevented by lower concentration of spectinabilin injection than that of abamectin recommended by its manufacturer. Production of multiple antinematode drugs, including spectinabilin, streptorubin B, and undecylprodigiosin was observed in both strains using high-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis. Conclusions : Whole-genome sequencing of spectinabilin-producing strains, coupled with bioinformatics and mass spectrometry analyses, revealed the production of multiple nematicidal drugs in the KCTC9218T and AN091965 strains. Especially, Streptomyces sp. AN091965 showed high production level of spectinabilin, and this study provides crucial information for the development of potential nematicidal drug producers.This work was supported by Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (IPET) through“Crop Viruses and Pests Response Industry Technology Development” Program (No.321110–4) funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Afairs (MAFRA), National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No.2022R1A2C3004621) and the Ministry of Education (2022R1I1A1A01068507), and the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation (NRF) funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No. 2020M3H1A1073304)

The Evolutionarily Conserved LIM Homeodomain Protein LIM-4/LHX6 Specifies the Terminal Identity of a Cholinergic and Peptidergic C. elegans Sensory/Inter/Motor Neuron-Type

The expression of specific transcription factors determines the differentiated features of postmitotic neurons. However, the mechanism by which specific molecules determine neuronal cell fate and the extent to which the functions of transcription factors are conserved in evolution are not fully understood. In C. elegans, the cholinergic and peptidergic SMB sensory/inter/motor neurons innervate muscle quadrants in the head and control the amplitude of sinusoidal movement. Here we show that the LIM homeobox protein LIM-4 determines neuronal characteristics of the SMB neurons. In lim-4 mutant animals, expression of terminal differentiation genes, such as the cholinergic gene battery and the flp-12 neuropeptide gene, is completely abolished and thus the function of the SMB neurons is compromised. LIM-4 activity promotes SMB identity by directly regulating the expression of the SMB marker genes via a distinct cis-regulatory motif. Two human LIM-4 orthologs, LHX6 and LHX8, functionally substitute for LIM-4 in C. elegans. Furthermore, C. elegans LIM-4 or human LHX6 can induce cholinergic and peptidergic characteristics in the human neuronal cell lines. Our results indicate that the evolutionarily conserved LIM-4/LHX6 homeodomain proteins function in generation of precise neuronal subtypes

Successful Treatment of Syncope with Chemotherapy Irresponsive to Cardiac Pacemaker in Head and Neck Cancer

Recurrent syncope as a complication of recurrent neck malignancy is an uncommon but well documented association. The syncope is presumed to occur when a tumor mass invades the baroreceptor within the carotid sinus or when it disrupts the afferent nerve fibers of the glossopharyngeal nerve. A 59-year-old man presented with recurrent syncope and headache. He had a wide local excision including tonsillectomy and modified left radical neck dissection for tonsilar cancer 4 years ago. A computed tomography scan revealed ill-defined lesions in left parapharyngeal, carotid space and right upper jugular region. After clinical evaluation, cardiac pacemaker was placed, but he still suffered from the syncope. Then, he received the chemotherapy with docetaxel and cisplatin. The last hypotension event occurred on day 10 of the chemotherapy. Six months after 3 cycles of chemotherapy, he remained in complete remission and resolution of syncope. We report a case in which syncope was associated with a recurrence of tonsilar cancer and successfully treated with chemotherapy

An Outbreak of Trichinellosis with Detection of Trichinella Larvae in Leftover Wild Boar Meat

The clinical diagnosis of trichinellosis can be difficult due to lack of pathognomonic signs or symptoms. In Korea, since the first report of human infection by Trichinella spiralis in 1997 following the consumption of raw badger meat, there have been occasional trichinellosis outbreaks. We describe an outbreak of 12 cases of trichinellosis in Korea and implicate raw wild boar meat as the culprit. A total of 27 larvae of Trichinella (0.54 larvae per gram of meat) were recovered from the leftover raw wild boar meat