No abstract available.
Korea* ; Scrub Typhus* ; Seroepidemiologic Studies*

The immune system maintains the integrity of our bodies by warding off intruding microorganisms, but by sustaining tolerance to our own tissues. The immunologic tolerance is established by several layers of safeguards, including physical elimination of self-reactive lymphocytes during their development in the central lymphoid organs, anergy induction in autoreactive lymphocytes before their emigration to the periphery, or production regulatory T lymphocytes that suppress the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of various effector cells. The major regulatory T lymphocytes display their phenotype as CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) and constitute about 10% of the peripheral T lymphocytes. Even with these safeguards, the immunologic tolerance sometimes fails and generates autoimmune diseases. Scientists studying the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases pay particular attention to a CD4(+) T lymphocytes subset, Th17 lymphocytes, distinct from Th1 and Th2. Th17 produces diverse proinflammatory cytokines including IL-17 and TNF-alpha. Th17 and these cytokines are causatively associated with many episodes of autoimmune diseases. Accumulated data reveal the critical role of Th17 cells in the pathology of autoimmunity and portray them as an important target in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases. In this article, we will describe the main characteristics of regulatory T cells and Th17 cells and their cellular and molecular mechanisms of protective or destructive functions, respectively.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Autoimmunity ; Cytokines ; Emigration and Immigration ; Immune System ; Interleukin-17 ; Lymphocytes ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Th17 Cells ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The immune system maintains the integrity of our bodies by warding off intruding microorganisms, but by sustaining tolerance to our own tissues. The immunologic tolerance is established by several layers of safeguards, including physical elimination of self-reactive lymphocytes during their development in the central lymphoid organs, anergy induction in autoreactive lymphocytes before their emigration to the periphery, or production regulatory T lymphocytes that suppress the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of various effector cells. The major regulatory T lymphocytes display their phenotype as CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) and constitute about 10% of the peripheral T lymphocytes. Even with these safeguards, the immunologic tolerance sometimes fails and generates autoimmune diseases. Scientists studying the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases pay particular attention to a CD4(+) T lymphocytes subset, Th17 lymphocytes, distinct from Th1 and Th2. Th17 produces diverse proinflammatory cytokines including IL-17 and TNF-alpha. Th17 and these cytokines are causatively associated with many episodes of autoimmune diseases. Accumulated data reveal the critical role of Th17 cells in the pathology of autoimmunity and portray them as an important target in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases. In this article, we will describe the main characteristics of regulatory T cells and Th17 cells and their cellular and molecular mechanisms of protective or destructive functions, respectively.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Autoimmunity ; Cytokines ; Emigration and Immigration ; Immune System ; Interleukin-17 ; Lymphocytes ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Th17 Cells ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the states of anger, depression, resilience and self-esteem according to type of school violence involving elementary school students. METHODS: The participants were 257 elementary school students in the 4th, 5th and 6th grades. Data was collected by structured questionnaires, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi2-test, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients with the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program. RESULTS: There were significant differences among the states of anger (Fs=16.66, p<.001), depression (Fs=18.04, p<.001), resilience (F=12.77, p<.001) and self-esteem (F=10.39, p<.001) according to the type of school violence. Of all the groups, bully-victim exhibited the highest score for anger and depression, and the lowest score for resilience and self-esteem. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, developing intervention programs that consider the psychological characteristics of elementary school students is necessary. Also, the results of this study suggest that integrative programs for students that can enhance resilience and self-esteem, such as self-discovery programs, and reduce anger, such as anger control programs, need to be developed.
Anger* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Resilience, Psychological ; Violence*

Since the first case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the Republic of Korea (ROK) was detected in 1985, 876 HIV-infected patients have been reported, as of December 1998. The male to female ratio was 6.8:1, and 87% of the patients were between 20 and 49 years of age. The major modes of transmission were sexual contacts, accounting for 86% of the cases (65% heterosexuals and 21% homosexuals). Transmission through blood and blood products accounted for 28 cases (3.2%), and vertical transmission for one case. No cases among intravenous drug abusers were reported. The seroprevalence among the blood donors was approximately one in 100,000. Subtypes A, B, C, D, E, and G of HIV-1 have been introduced into the ROK, and subtype B is the most predominant subtype. The frequency of the a deletion in the CCR5 gene, a coreceptor of HIV-1, was less than 1% among Koreans.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/transmission ; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/genetics ; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology* ; Adolescence ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Blood Donors/statistics & numerical data ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Disease Transmission, Horizontal/statistics & numerical data ; Disease Transmission, Horizontal/prevention & control ; Female ; HIV Seroprevalence ; HIV-1/genetics ; HIV-1/classification ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data ; Human ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Age ; Military Personnel/statistics & numerical data ; Mutation ; Receptors, CCR5/genetics ; Sex Distribution

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using a social skills training program to address problem behaviors, social skill, and peer relationship in children using a community child center in a vulnerable area. METHODS: The research design was a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. Participants in the experimental group were 25 children, recruited from a community child center in G-city. Participants in the control group were 25 children, recruited from a community child center in S-city. Data were collected from September, 2014 to January, 2015. Outcomes were measured using the Child Problem-Behavior Screening Questionnaire (CPSQ), Social Skill Rating System (SSRS), and Peer Relational Skills Scale (PRSS). The experimental group participated in the social skills training weekly for 10 weeks. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 18.0 program. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in problem behaviors, social skills, and peer relationship scores between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This social skills training program was found to be effective in reducing problem behaviors and improving the social skill and peer relationship of these children, and is recommended for use in community health services as an effective nursing intervention for children in vulnerable areas.
Child* ; Community Health Services ; Education* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Nursing ; Peer Group ; Research Design ; Social Behavior*

To assess the prevalence of HIV infection in patients with sexually-transmitted diseases(STD), we screened STD patients who visited STD clinics in Seoul area during the period of April 1993-Octorber 1993. Blood samples were collected by unlinked anonymous method, and antibodies against HIV were screened. Fi-ve hundred and thirty patients with STD werescreened. Median age of the patients was 23 year. Male to female ratio was 1:2.8. None of the patients had HIV antibody. The prevalence of HIV infection in STD patients was estimated to be less than 5%.
Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Antibodies ; Female ; HIV Infections* ; HIV* ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases*

BACKGROUND: The molecular basis of follicular dendritic cells (FDC)-germinal center (GC) B cell interaction is largely unknown, although this cellular interaction is thought to be important for the whole process of GC B cell differentiation. METHODS: Using FDC-like cells, HK, and highly purified GC B cells, we attempted to identify the molecules that play critical roles in the interactions between FDC and B cells. GC B cells were co-cultured with HK cells and soluble CD154 in the presence or absence of various function-blocking monoclonal antibodies to examine their effect on GC B cell binding to HK cells and B cell proliferation. RESULTS: Anti-CD11a and anti-CD54 antibodies inhibited GC B cell binding to HK cells while anti-CD49d and anti-CD106 antibodies did not. GC B cell proliferation was not impaired by the disruption of GC B cell-HK cell adherence. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that CD11a/CD18-CD54 interactions play an important roles in the initial binding of GC B cells to FDC and diffusible growth factors from FDC may be responsible the massive proliferation of GC B cells.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Cell Communication ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; Germinal Center* ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandins (PGs) play pathogenic and protective roles in inflammatory diseases. The novel concept of PGs as immune modulators is being documented by several investigators. By establishing an in vitro experimental model containing human follicular dendritic cell-like cells, HK cells, we reported that HK cells produce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) and that these PGs regulate biological functions of T and B cells. METHODS: To investigate the respective contribution of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 to PGE2 and PGI2 production in HK cells, we performed siRNA technology to knock down COX enzymes and examined the effect on PG production. RESULTS: Both PGE2 and PGI2 productions were almost completely inhibited by the depletion of COX-2. In contrast, COX-1 knockdown did not significantly affect PG production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). CONCLUSION: The current results suggest that mPGES-1 and PGIS are coupled with COX-2 but not with COX-1 in human follicular dendritic cell (FDC) and may help understand the potential effects of selective COX inhibitors on the humoral immunity.
Cyclooxygenase 1 ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; Dinoprostone ; Epoprostenol ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral ; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases ; Models, Theoretical ; Prostaglandins ; Research Personnel ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Stromal Cells

PURPOSE: Poncirus trifoliata has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune activities. However, its anti-obesity activity and the mechanism by which the water extract of dried, immature fruit of Poncirus trifoliata (PF-W) acts are not clear. This study suggests a potential mechanism associated with the anti-obesity activity of PF-W. METHODS: We measured the effect of PF-W on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) regulation using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an activity assay. The LPL regulation mechanism was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to measure the mRNA expression of biomarkers related to protein transport and by western blot for analysis of the protein expression of the transcription factor CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBPbeta) RESULTS: The total polyphenol and flavonoid content of PF-W was 52.15 +/- 4.02 and 6.56 +/- 0.47 mg/g, respectively. PF-W treatment decreased LPL content in media to 58 +/- 5% of that in control adipocyte media, and increased LPL content to 117 +/- 3.5% of that in control adipocytes, but did not affect the mRNA expression of LPL. PF-W also increased the mRNA expression of sortilin-related receptor (SorLA), a receptor that induces endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of LPL, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Finally, cell fractionation revealed that PF-W treatment induced the expression of C/EBPbeta, a SorLA transcription factor, in the nuclei of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. CONCLUSION: The LPL secretion and activity assay showed PF-W to be an LPL secretion inhibitor, and these results suggest the potential mechanism of PF-W involving inhibition of LPL secretion through C/EBPbeta-mediated induction of SorLA expression.
Adipocytes ; Biomarkers ; Blotting, Western ; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins ; Cell Fractionation ; Endocytosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fruit ; Lipoprotein Lipase* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Poncirus* ; Protein Transport ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Transcription Factors ; Water*