• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2023

Recent technical advances have enabled unbiased transcriptomic and epigenetic analysis of each cell, known as "single-cell analysis". Single-cell analysis has a variety of technical approaches to investigate the state of each cell, including mRNA levels (transcriptome), the immune repertoire (immune repertoire analysis), cell surface proteins (surface proteome analysis), chromatin accessibility (epigenome), and accordance with genome variants (eQTLs; expression quantitative trait loci). As an effective tool for investigating robust immune responses in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many researchers performed single-cell analysis to capture the diverse, unbiased immune cell activation and differentiation. Despite challenges elucidating the complicated immune microenvironments of chronic inflammatory diseases using existing experimental methods, it is now possible to capture the simultaneous immune features of different cell types across inflamed tissues using various single-cell tools. In this review, we introduce patient-based and experimental mouse model research utilizing single-cell analyses in the field of chronic inflammatory diseases, as well as multi-organ atlas targeting immune cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.439-452
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• 2005

Zinc is ubiquitous in all living cells. Structural and catalytic properties of cellular enzymes are zinc dependent. Zinc deficiency leads to a variety of pathological abnormalities with immune impairment. It is an established fact that nutritional status contributes to overall immune response of individuals. Outcome of zinc deficiency on immune system is so drastic that it is difficult to conceive at the first instance. Zinc supplementation has been advocated to prevent diarrheal disease in children with poor nutritional status. The bioavailability of zinc depends upon its sources. Moreover it varies between monogastrics and ruminants. Controversy still prevails between inorganic and organic sources of zinc with respect to their superiority in bioavailability. Zinc exerts immunostimulatory effects in various laboratory and farm animals. Animals having congenital zinc deficiency diseases like A46 lethal trait usually die due to impairment of the immune system unless treated with zinc. The immune mechanism of zinc and its effect on animals and man are discussed. Zinc has been considered as extremely safe at higher therapeutic doses, but does not provide any beneficial effect but rather may cause immunosuppression. More recently, zinc has been prescribed for immunodeficient hosts, to modulate the immune system so that to a certain extent it can combat against opportunistic pathogens.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.126-136
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aroma hand massage on anxiety and immune function in patients who had gynecology surgery under local anesthesia. Methods: The research design was a nonequivalent control group with pre-and posttest design. Data were collected from June 5 to October 6, 2010. Participants included 20 patients in the aroma hand massage group, 20 patients in a hand massage group, and 20 in a control group. As an experimental treatment, hand massage was carried out following the hand massage protocol. Measures consisted of the State Trait Anxiety, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for anxiety, vital signs (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate), and salivary cortisol for anxiety, and immunoglobulin A for immune function. Results: Aroma hand massage and hand massage group showed lower levels in NRS for anxiety, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate (p<.001) compared to controls. No group differences were found for state anxiety, salivary cortisol and immunoglobulin A. Conclusion: The results indicate that aroma hand massage and hand massage are effective in reducing anxiety and can be complementary alternative interventions for women having gynecology surgery under local anesthesia.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1080-1087
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• 2008

Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and CD14 protein play important roles in the defense against infection of Gram-negative bacteria. In the present study, tissue distribution and polymorphism of porcine LBP and CD14 genes were analyzed. Real-time PCR results showed that the porcine LBP gene was especially highly expressed in liver, while CD14 gene was highly expressed in liver and spleen tissues. A 1,732 bp cDNA fragment of porcine LBP gene and a 1,682 bp genomic DNA fragment of CD14 gene were isolated. Polymorphisms were identified in these two fragments and showed that there were 14 potential SNPs in the porcine LBP gene and 3 potential SNPs in the porcine CD14 gene. Three SNPs, 292G/A (Gly/Ser), 1168G/A (Ala/Thr) of the LBP gene and -61G/A of the CD14 gene, were genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. Association analyses indicated that polymorphism of the 292G/A locus was significantly associated with porcine immune traits hematocrit (HCT), IgG and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) (p<0.01), and the 1168G/A locus was significantly associated with HCT and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) traits (p<0.05). No significant association was found between the -61G/A locus and immune traits of the pig. Our data indicated that the LBP gene was significantly associated with immune traits of pig. Also, we identified some SNPs which may be useful markers for disease-resistant breeding of pigs.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.103-109
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• 2006

IL-28RA is one of the important candidate genes for complex trait of genetic diseases, but there are only a few published results for this gene. Previously, we identified eighteen SNPs and two variation sites in the entire coding regions of IL-28RA including promoter regions, and suggested that the g.32349G>A polymorphism of IL-28RA might be associated with susceptibility to allergic rhinitis. In this study, we chose seven SNPs (g.-1193A>C, g.-30C>T, g.17654C>T, g.27798A>G, g.31265C>T, g.31911C>T and g.32349G>A) of IL-28RA, and attempted to find out whether these polymorphisms were furtherassociated with genetic predisposition of asthma. We analyzed the genotype and allele frequencies of IL-28RA polymorph isms between the asthma patients and healthy controls. We also investigated the frequencies of haplotype constructed by these SNPs between asthma patients and controls. Our results suggest that the polymorphisms of IL-28RA gene were not associated with susceptibility to asthma, and not with IgE production and eosinophil recruitment. The haplotype frequencies by these SNPs also not significantly associated between the healthy controls and asthma patients. This result indicates that the IL -2BRA polymorphisms might be not associated withasthma susceptibility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.165-168
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• 1999

To determine the effects of genetic and environmental influences on cell mediated immune (CMI) responses in broiler rabbits, contact sensitivity to 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) was assessed in three temperate broiler breeds of rabbits, namely Soviet Chinchilla, New Zealand White and Grey Giant. The feasibility of using the contact sensitivity to DNCB as a marker trait in selection for disease resistance was examined. There were highly significant differences between breeds (p<0.01) in initial skin thickness and contact sensitivities to DNCB at 24, 48 and 72 hours. Initial skin thickness was greatest in the Soviet Chinchilla breed (mean 2.2484 mm), and was significantly greater (p<0.01) in males (2.4963 mm) than in females (1.7846 mm) (p<0.01). Highest contact sensitivity to DNCB was in the New Zealand White breed with mean increase in skin thickness of 1.1884, 0.9072 and 0.5879 mm at 24, 48 and 72 hours post challenge respectively. Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to DNCB at 24 hours post challenge had a highly significant association (p<0.01) with the incidence of body mange in rabbits. The results indicated a lowered contact sensitivity to DNCB at 24 hours post challenge was associated significantly (p<0.01) with an increase in incidence and severity of body mange, suggesting its potential value as a marker. The correlation s among contact sensitivities at 24, 48 and 72 hours were positive and highly significant (p<0.01); correlations between initial skin thickness and contact sensitivities were negative and highly significant (p<0.01). Another notable significant correlation was between body weight and delayed type hypersensitivity at 24 hours indicating that an enhanced CMI might be associated with better growth rate and general wellbeing.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.227-233
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• 2003

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of chromium (Cr) on the growth performance, bone trait, serum traits, and immune responses in broilers. The broilers were fed corn-soybean meal basal diet supplemented with Cr at level of 0(control), 200, 400, or 800 ppb in the form of chromium picolinate (CrPic). The broilers were fed treated diets for 6 weeks in Exp. 1, but the Cr supplement was removed for the last 3 weeks in Exp. 2. Exp. 1 showed that dietary supplement of Cr did not affect growth performance of the broiler, though improved feed efficiency (p<0.05) was observed during 0 to 3 weeks. Moreover, serum total (p<0.05) and HDL cholesterols (p<0.06) were significantly higher in pooled Cr added group at 6 weeks of age, however, the difference was not significant in Exp. 2. The pooled Cr added group in Exp.1 had significantly lower (p<0.05) alkaline phosphatase activity and higher (p<0.09) calcium at 3 weeks. Significantly lower phosphorus was also observed in Exp. 2. With continued supplement of Cr as in Exp. 1, the alkaline phosphatase activity maintained higher at 6 weeks, as opposed to significantly lower in Exp. 2, which had no further Cr supplement. Higher bone breaking strength was observed in 400 ppb Cr supplemented in Exp. 1, though not significantly different. Serum glucose and triglyceride were not affected by Cr supplement. Antibody against Infectious Bronchitis (IB) was significantly (p<0.05) higher with 400 ppb Cr supplemented, and anti-Newcastle disease (ND) antibody also tended to be higher (p<0.06) in pooled Cr added group at 6 weeks of age in Exp. 1. Peripheral blood blastogenesis activity was not different among the treatments. The results suggest that diet supplemented with 400 ppb CrPic may be beneficial to the broiler.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.980-991
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to examnin the effect of slow stroke back massage(SSBM) on anxiety and immune response in patients undergoing open heart surgery and to compare the effect of 5-minutes with 10-minutes SSBM. Among the sixty-four patient subjects, twenty-one were one experimental group receiving massage for 10-minutes, twenty for the other experimental group receiving massage for 5-minutes and twenty-three for the control group. Subjects were admitted at Hospitals in Inchon and Puchon for open heart surgery. This study was carried out from October 10, 1997 to May 10, 1998. The levels of anxiety were measured by the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS), Trait anxiety scale, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, blood cortisol and the levels of immune response were measured by the blood T-lymphocyte and Natural killer cell. Study measurements were taken before and after SSBM on the 1st post operative day. Data were analyzed using x$^2$ test, oneway ANOVA, paired t-test, t-test and Pearson product moment correlation. The results were summarized as follows : 1. After SSBM, VAS anxiety level, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate of the experimental group were decreased significantly than those measurements before the SSBM. After SSBM, significant difference in the VAS anxiety level, systolic blood pressure and pulse rate between the experimental and control groups were found. 2. After SSBM, the blood cortisol of the experimental and control groups were increased significantly compared with before SSBM. But the significant difference in blood cortisol between the two groups was not found. 3. After SSBM, the blood T-lymphocyte percentages of the experimental and control groups were decreased signigicantly and blood Natural killer cell percentages of the two groups were increased compared with before SSBM. But significant difference in blood T-lymphocyte and Natural killer cell percentages between the two groups was not found. 4. Significant difference in VAS anxiety level, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, blood cortisol, blood T-lymphocyte and Natural killer cell percentages between SSBM for 5 minutes and SSBM for 10 minutes were not found. Based upon the results, this study concludes that the slow stroke back massage for 5 minutes is a useful intervention that decreases anxiety and produces relaxation in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.684-692
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• 2016

Acute respiratory virus infectious diseases are a growing health problem, particularly among children and the elderly. Much effort has been made to develop probiotics that prevent influenza virus infections by enhancing innate immunity in the respiratory tract until vaccines are available. Lactobacillus plantarum GB-LP2, isolated from a traditional Korean fermented vegetable, has exhibited preventive effects on influenza virus infection in mice. To identify the molecular basis of this strain, we conducted a whole-genome assembly study. The single circular DNA chromosome of 3,284,304 bp was completely assembled and 3,250 protein-encoding genes were predicted. Evolutionarily accelerated genes related to the phenotypic trait of anti-infective activities for influenza virus were identified. These genes encode three integral membrane proteins, a teichoic acid export ATP-binding protein and a glucosamine - fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase involved in host innate immunity, the nonspecific DNA-binding protein Dps, which protects bacteria from oxidative damage, and the response regulator of the three-component quorum-sensing regulatory system, which is related to the capacity of adhesion to the surface of the respiratory tract and competition with pathogens. This is the first study to identify the genetic backgrounds of the antiviral activity in L. plantarum strains. These findings provide insight into the anti-infective activities of L. plantarum and the development of preventive probiotics.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.142-148
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• 2005

The immune response-related genes have been suggested to be the most favorable genes for positive selection during evolution. Comparing the entire DNA sequence of chimpanzee chromosome 22 (PTR22) with human chromosome 21 (HSA21), we have identified 15 orthologs having indel in their coding sequences. Among them, interferon-${\alpha}$ receptor-1 gene (IFNAR1), an immuneresponse-related gene, is subjected to comparative genomic analysis. Chimpanzee IFNAR1 showed the same genomic structure as human IFNAR1 (11 exons and 10 introns) except the 3 bp insertion in exon 4. The sequence alignment of IFNAR1 coding sequence indicated that 'ISPP' amino acid sequence motif is highly conserved in chimpanzee and other animals including mouse and chicken. However, the human IFNAR1 shows that one proline residue is missing in the sequence motif. The homology modeling of the IFNAR1 structures suggests that the proline deletion in human IFNAR1 leads to the formation of the following ${\alpha}$-helix, whereas two sequential prolines in chimpanzee IFNAR1 inhibit it. As a result, human IFNAR1 may adopt a characteristic structure distinct from chimpanzee IFNAR1. This human specific trait could contribute to specific immune response in the most optimized manner for humans. Further molecular biological studies on the IFNAR1 will help us to gain insights into the molecular implication of species-specific host-pathogen interaction in primate evolution.