Every protein can be characterized by either a distinct motif or a combination of motifs. Nevertheless, little is known about the relationships among (more than two) the motifs. Some of the proteins in the world are share motifs for evolutional or other biological benefits - they can save energy, time and resource for controlling and managing a variety of proteins. In some cases of motifs, the tendency is quite common and they can act the 'hub' motif of a network of the motif associations. The hubs are structurally and functionally important in themselves and also important in disease-related mutations. They will be highly resistant mutation to conserve their functions. But, in case of the a rare mutation, mutations on the position of hub can more easily cause fatal diseases.

urpose: Misonidazole is a radiosensitizer that binds in hypoxic cells. The purpose of this study was to find out the feasibility of I-131-Iodomisonidazole (IMISO) for imaging of tumor hypoxia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tosyl precursor was dissolved in acetonitrile and I-131-NaI was added to synthesize IMISO. Balb/c mice inoculated with CT-26 adenocarcinoma were injected with IMISO. Mice were sacrificed at 1,2,4,24 hr and % of injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) was determined. For scintigraphy and MRI, mouse bearing CT-26 adenocarcinoma was administered with IMISO and imaging was performed 4 hr after. Then, mouse body was fixed and microtomized slice was placed on radiographic film for autoradiography. RESULTS: %ID/g of tumor was 1.64 (1h), 0.98 (2h), 0.85 (4h) and 0.20 (24h), respectively. At 24h, %ID/g of tumor was higher than that of all other tissues except thyroid. Tumor to muscle ratio increased with time and tumor to blood ratio also increased with time and reached 1.53 at 24 hr. On autoradiogram, tumor was well visualized as an increased activity in central hypoxic area of the tumor which corresponds to the area of high signal intensity on T2-weighted MR image. On scintigraphy, tumor uptake was visualized. CONCLUSION:: This RESULTS suggest that IMISO may have a potential for tumor hypoxia imaging in mouse model. However, further study is needed to improve it's localization in tumor tissue and to achieve acceptable images of tumor hypoxia.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Animals ; Anoxia* ; Autoradiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mice* ; Misonidazole ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Thyroid Gland ; X-Ray Film

Copy number variations at multiple chromosomal loci, including 16p11.2, have recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disease that affects 1~3% of children worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of human genes at the 16p11.2 loci in synaptic development using Drosophila larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJ), a well-established model synapse with stereotypic innervation patterns. We conducted a preliminary genetic screen based on RNA interference in combination with the GAL4-UAS system, followed by mutational analyses. Our result indicated that disruption of klp68D, a gene closely related to human KIF22, caused ectopic innervations of axon branches forming type III boutons in muscle 13, along with less frequent re-routing of other axon branches. In addition, mutations in klp64D, of which gene product forms Kinesin-2 complex with KLP68D, led to similar targeting errors of type III axons. Mutant phenotypes were at least partially reproduced by knockdown of each gene via RNA interference. Taken together, our data suggest the roles of Kinesin-2 proteins, including KLP68D and KLP64D, in ensuring proper synaptic wiring.
Autistic Disorder ; Axons ; Child ; Drosophila* ; Genes, vif ; Humans* ; Neuromuscular Junction* ; Phenotype ; RNA Interference ; Synapses ; Autism Spectrum Disorder

OBJECTIVE: The freezing response in rats has been used widely as an index of fear in threatening or stressful situations. Considering its importance in basic studies of affective disorders and in drug testing, it is necessary to develop a reliable, automated system for measuring the freezing response accurately. METHODS: We developed the Vision-Based Analysis for Freezing (V-BAFF) system to analyze the freezing response in rats, based on several image-processing modules and motion classification schemes generated from our own experience. We compared the performance of V-BAFF with that of experienced human observers. RESULTS: The level of freezing measured with V-BAFF was highly correlated with that measured by human observers. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that V-BAFF could yield a bias-free, accurate, and efficient measurement of freezing in rats.
Animals ; Freezing ; Humans ; Mood Disorders ; Rats

PURPOSE: I-131 labeled (2'-deoxy-2-iodo-p-D-arabinofuranosyl) adenine (IAD) may be involved in DNA synthesis during active proliferation of tumor cells. We conducted this study to find out the biodistribution of IAD and its feasibility for scintigraphic tumor imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tosyl acetyl-adenosine was dissolved in acetonitrile, and I-131-NaI was added and heated to synthesize IAD. Female Fisher 344 rats innoculated with breast tumor cells were injected witb 0.27 MBq of IAD. Rats were sacrificed at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 24h and the % of injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) was determined. For scintigraphy, rats bearing breast cancer were administered with 1.11 MBq of IAD and imaging was perforrned after 2 and 24h. Then, rat body was fixed and rnicrotomized slice was placed on radiographic film for autoradiography, RESULTS: %ID/g of tumor wa.' 0.74 (0.5h), 0.73 (1h), 0.55 (2h), 0.38 (4h), and 0.05 (24h), respectively. At 1h after injection, %ID/g of tumor was higher than that of heart (0.34), liver (0.42), spleen (0.47), kidney (0,69), muscle (0.14), bone (0.33) and intestine (0.51). However, %1D/g of tumor was lower than blood (1.06), lung (0.77), and thyroid (177.71). At 4h, %ID/g of tumor in comparison with other tissue did not change. Tumor contrast expressed by tumor to blood ratio was 0.69 and tumor to muscle ratio was 5.11 at 1h. However, these ratios did not improve through 24h. On autoradiogram and scintigraphy at 2 and 24 hour, the tumor was well visualized. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that Ial) may have a potential for tumor scintigraphy. However, further work is needed to improve localization in tumor tissue.
Adenine ; Animals ; Autoradiography ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; DNA ; Female ; Heart ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Intestines ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Rats* ; Spleen ; Thyroid Gland ; X-Ray Film

In this study, we aimed to determine the antinociceptive and/or anti-inflammatory effect of Bang-Poong (BP, Radix Ledebouriellae) on Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Traditionally, BP has been used to treat several inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Whole BP is extracted into two fractions that were ethylacetate and hexane-soluble fractions. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n=30, 130-150 g) were subcutaneously administered by the Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) into the plantar surface of right hindpaw. Twelve days after the injection of FCA, the rats initially showed typical inflammatory edema and arthritis-related symptoms on the contralateral side (i.e. left hindpaw). Both antinociceptive (evaluation of mechanical, thermal pain threshold and analysis of spinal Fos expression) and anti- inflammatory (evaluation of paw edema, serum interleukin-6 level and x-ray analysis) effect of BP extracts were examined. The ethylacetate fraction of BP (BPE) significantly suppressed the FCA-induced paw edema as well as the serum level of interleukin-6 and it alleviated the radiological changes. Moreover, both mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia were attenuated by the treatment of BPE. In addition, spinal Fos expression that was increased by FCA- injection was suppressed in BPE group. Therefore, this study showed that BPE produced significant both antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects on FCA- induced arthritis in rats, while hexane fraction of BP did not show these effects. In conclusion, it is suggested that the ethylacetate fraction of BP is recommended to alleviate the arthritis-related symptoms in human according to the results of this study.
Analgesics/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/*pharmacology ; Arthritis, Experimental/*drug therapy/radiography ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*pharmacology ; Edema/veterinary ; Hindlimb/radiography ; Hyperalgesia/veterinary ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Male ; Pain Measurement/veterinary ; *Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord/metabolism

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori infection is linked to the development of gastric cancer. H. pylori-associated gastric inflammation is considered to be the first important step in the histogenesis of such neoplasia. However, studies that compare proteome of gastric mucosa infected with or without H. pylori are lacking. METHODS: We employed proteomics analysis on the endoscopic biopsy specimens of gastric mucosa obtained from two groups (30 cases): healthy subjects without H. pylori infection (15 cases), and gastritis patients with H. pylori infection (15 cases). The pooled proteins obtained from gastric mucosa infected with or without H. pylori were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and analyzed by a computer-aided program. The altered protein expressions were then identified by mass spectrometry and validated by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: On mass spectrometry using MALDI TOF(TM) Analyzer, the up-regulation of Keratin 1, ezrin, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase subunit alpha mitochondrial isoform c, Keratin type I cytoskeletal 19, and Keratin type I cytoskeletal 9 were identified; in contrast, 71 kd heat shock cognate protein, ATP synthase subunit alpha mitochondrial precursor, and annexin IV were down-regulated. Among them, membrane cytoskeleton linker ezrin was validated using Western blot and immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of ezrin was significantly different between the gastric mucosa with and without H. pylori infection. Therefore, ezrin could be considered a promising potential molecular marker for detecting H. pylori infection in gastric mucosa.
Blotting, Western ; Cytoskeletal Proteins/metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa/*metabolism/microbiology ; Gastritis/complications/metabolism/pathology ; Gastroscopy ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/metabolism/*pathology ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Proteome/*analysis ; *Proteomics ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Up-Regulation

An esophageal foreign body has clinical significance because it may cause serious complications such as esophageal perforation, mediastinitis and/or aorto-esophageal fistula. A prompt attempt to remove an esophageal foreign body via flexible endoscopy should be made when the shape of the foreign body is especially sharp and long as it can easily lead to esophageal perforation. We report here on a case of endoscopic removal of an impacted esophageal foreign body, a fishhook, that hade been present in the esophagus for two months, and there were no serious complications from the procedure.
Endoscopy ; Epoxy Compounds ; Esophageal Perforation ; Esophagus ; Fistula ; Foreign Bodies ; Hydroxybenzoate Ethers ; Mediastinitis

BACKGROUND: The measurement of functional disabilities in patients with dementia is one of the essential parts of evaluation for dementia from the viewpoint of diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. Nevertheless, few standardized scales for the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are available in Korea. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Korean IADL (K-IADL). METHODS: K-IADL is comprised of 11 items that were selected by the Representative Committee of the Korean Dementia Research Group. These include: (1) shopping, (2) mode of transportation, (3) ability to handle finances, (4) house keeping, (5) preparing food, (6) ability to use a tele-phone, (7) responsibility for own medication, (8) recent memory, (9) hobbies, (10) watching television, and (11) fixing around the house. K-IADL was administered to informants of 114 dementia patients and age and sex matched 106 con-trols. The informants rated each item as follows: 0=normal, 1=with some assistance, 2=with much assistance, 3=unable to do, NA=not applicable. RESULTS: Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.96) and the test-retest reliability(r=0.94) of K-IADL were significant. A principle component factor analysis extracted a single factor that accounted for 70.3% of the total variance (Eigenvalue: 7.74), and K-IADL was correlated significantly with other general cognitive indices, demonstrating good validity. With a cut-off point of 0.43, the K-IADL had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 82% in the diagnosis of dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that K-IADL could be a reliable and valid tool for the quantification of functional disabilities of Korean dementia patients.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Hobbies ; Humans ; Korea ; Memory ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Television ; Transportation ; Weights and Measures

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in patients with HIV infection can, in rare cases, present with pulmonary nodules that histologically involve granulomatous inflammation. This report describes an intriguing case of granulomatous PJP with pulmonary nodules after commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in an HIV-infected patient without respiratory signs or symptoms. Diagnosis of granulomatous PJP was only achieved through thoracoscopic lung biopsy. This case suggests that granulomatous PJP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules in HIV-infected patients for unmasking immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome manifestation after initiation of ART.