1.Aluminum Nanoparticles Induce ERK and p38MAPK Activation in Rat Brain.
Jung Taek KWON ; Gyun Baek SEO ; Eunhye JO ; Mimi LEE ; Hyun Mi KIM ; Ilseob SHIM ; Byung Woo LEE ; Byung Il YOON ; Pilje KIM ; Kyunghee CHOI
Toxicological Research 2013;29(3):181-185
Aluminum nanoparticles (Al-NPs) are one of the most widely used nanomaterial in cosmetics and medical materials. For this reason, Al-NP exposure is very likely to occur via inhalation in the environment and the workplace. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanism of Al-NP neurotoxicity via inhalation exposure. In this study, we investigated the effect AL-NPs on the brain. Rats were exposed to Al-NPs by nasal instillation at 1 mg/kg body weight (low exposure group), 20 mg/kg body weight (moderate exposure group), and 40 mg/kg body weight (high exposure group), for a total of 3 times, with a 24-hr interval after each exposure. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis indicated that the presence of aluminum was increased in a dose-dependent manner in the olfactory bulb (OFB) and the brain. In microarray analysis, the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) activity (GO: 0043405), including Ptprc, P2rx7, Map2k4, Trib3, Trib1, and Fgd4 was significantly over-expressed in the treated mice than in the controls (p = 0.0027). Moreover, Al-NPs induced the activation of ERK1 and p38 MAPK protein expression in the brain, but did not alter the protein expression of JNK, when compared to the control. These data demonstrate that the nasal exposure of Al-NPs can permeate the brain via the olfactory bulb and modulate the gene and protein expression of MAPK and its activity.
Aluminum*
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Animals
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Body Weight
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Brain*
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Inhalation
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Inhalation Exposure
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Mass Spectrometry
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Mice
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Microarray Analysis
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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Nanoparticles*
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Nanostructures
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Olfactory Bulb
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p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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Plasma
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Rats*
2.Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis during the COVID-19 outbreak in the Republic of Korea in 2020
Jiyeon YANG ; Yunhyung KWON ; Jaetae KIM ; Yoojin JANG ; Jiyeon HAN ; Daae KIM ; Hyeran JEONG ; Hyekyung PARK ; Eunhye SHIM
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives 2021;12(5):293-303
Objectives:
We investigated the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on tuberculosis (TB) management in the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Methods:
This retrospective cross-sectional study used nationwide ROK TB notification data (98,346 cases) from 2017 to 2020. The median time from the onset of TB symptoms to treatment initiation and the compliance rates with the required timing for notification and individual case investigations were measured and compared across periods and regions affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Results:
TB diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic was delayed. The median time to TB treatment initiation (25 days) in 2020 increased by 3 days compared to that of the previous 3 years (22 days) (p<0.0001). In the outbreak in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi province during August, the time to TB diagnosis was 4 days longer than in the previous 3 years (p=0.0303). In the outbreak in Daegu and Gyeongbuk province from February to March 2020, the compliance rate with the required timing for individual case investigations was 2.2%p points lower than in other areas in 2020 (p=0.0148). For public health centers, the rate was 13%p lower than in other areas (80.3% vs. 93.3%, p=0.0003).
Conclusion
TB diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the ROK were delayed nationwide, especially for patients notified by public-private mix TB control hospitals. TB individual case investigations were delayed in regional COVID-19 outbreak areas (Daegu and Gyeongbuk province), especially in public health centers. Developing strategies to address this issue will be helpful for sustainable TB management during future outbreaks.
3.Latent Tuberculosis Infection Screening and Treatment in Congregate Settings (TB FREE COREA):Demographic Profiles of InterferonGamma Release Assay Cohort
Hyung Woo KIM ; Jinsoo MIN ; Joon Young CHOI ; Ah Young SHIN ; Jun-Pyo MYONG ; Yunhee LEE ; Hyeon Woo YIM ; Hyunsuk JEONG ; Sanghyuk BAE ; Eunhye SHIM ; Hyekyung IN ; Chaemin CHUN ; Gahee KIM ; Ji Young KANG ; Sung-Soon LEE ; Jae Seuk PARK ; Ju Sang KIM
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2021;36(36):e246-
In 2017, the Korean government launched an unprecedentedly large-scaled latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening project which covered more than a million individuals in congregate settings. A total of 1,047,689 participants of source population (n = 2,336,157) underwent LTBI testing from 2017 to 2018. The overall LTBI test uptake rate during this project was 44.8%. Workers in daycare centers (83.5%) and kindergartens (78.9%) showed high participation rate. A total of 1,012,206 individuals with valid results of interferongamma release assay (IGRA) were selected to constitute the IGRA cohort. Most of the enrolled participants in the IGRA cohort were in their working age. Approximately, threequarters of total enrolled population were female. Investigating the LTBI prevalence, stages of LTBI care cascade, natural history of LTBI, efficacy of LTBI treatment and cost-effectiveness of LTBI screening are feasible within this IGRA cohort.
4.Latent Tuberculosis Infection Screening and Treatment in Congregate Settings (TB FREE COREA):Demographic Profiles of InterferonGamma Release Assay Cohort
Hyung Woo KIM ; Jinsoo MIN ; Joon Young CHOI ; Ah Young SHIN ; Jun-Pyo MYONG ; Yunhee LEE ; Hyeon Woo YIM ; Hyunsuk JEONG ; Sanghyuk BAE ; Eunhye SHIM ; Hyekyung IN ; Chaemin CHUN ; Gahee KIM ; Ji Young KANG ; Sung-Soon LEE ; Jae Seuk PARK ; Ju Sang KIM
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2021;36(36):e246-
In 2017, the Korean government launched an unprecedentedly large-scaled latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening project which covered more than a million individuals in congregate settings. A total of 1,047,689 participants of source population (n = 2,336,157) underwent LTBI testing from 2017 to 2018. The overall LTBI test uptake rate during this project was 44.8%. Workers in daycare centers (83.5%) and kindergartens (78.9%) showed high participation rate. A total of 1,012,206 individuals with valid results of interferongamma release assay (IGRA) were selected to constitute the IGRA cohort. Most of the enrolled participants in the IGRA cohort were in their working age. Approximately, threequarters of total enrolled population were female. Investigating the LTBI prevalence, stages of LTBI care cascade, natural history of LTBI, efficacy of LTBI treatment and cost-effectiveness of LTBI screening are feasible within this IGRA cohort.