Young Dae Kwon

Deposition of eosinophil-granule major basic protein and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in the mucosa of the small intestine in infants with cow’s milk–sensitive enteropathy ☆ ☆☆

BACKGROUND Cows milk-sensitive enteropathy (CMSE) is an important cause of chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive in infancy. The immunopathology of the mucosal lesion associated with CMSE has not yet been described. OBJECTIVES This study investigated the eosinophil activation and the role of adhesion molecules in the pathogenesis of intestinal mucosal damage associated with CMSE. METHODS Twenty-one patients with chronic diarrhea and abnormal mucosa on duodenal biopsy specimens were included. The patients had negative responses to skin prick tests and RASTs with milk. Fourteen patients were diagnosed with CMSE by milk challenge test and were designated as the CMSE group. Seven patients with no milk intolerance were defined as the non-CMSE group. Four infants with frequent vomiting and no mucosal abnormalities were also studied as the control group. Immunohistochemical stains for eosinophil major basic protein (MBP), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 on endoscopic duodenal biopsy specimens were performed. RESULTS The degree of eosinophil degranulation, as evidenced by localization of extracellular MBP, was significantly greater in the CMSE group compared with the non-CMSE and control groups (P <.05). Expression of VCAM-1 on mononuclear cells was higher in the CMSE group compared with the non-CMSE and control groups (P <.05). The severity of villous atrophy was positively correlated with the deposition of MBP (r = 0.79, P <.001). CONCLUSION These results strongly suggest eosinophils and VCAM-1 are implicated in the pathogenesis of mucosal damage associated with CMSE.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of N-Substituted Bicarbazyl Derivatives

N,N′-Diethyl-3,3′-bicarbazyl(DEBC)and N,N′-Diphenyl-3,3′-bicarbazyl(DPBC)was synthesized by the oxidative coupling reaction. The electrochemical properties of DEBC and DPBC were characterized by cyclic voltammetric technique. The oxidation of DEBC occurred at 0.56 V and 0.8 V(vs. Ag/Ag+)and the reduction also at 0.47 V and 0.72 V, where the carbazole unit might be oxidized and coupled each other irreversibly to form the paired molecules of DEBC. DPBC also showed the reversible oxidation at 0.74 V and 0.97 V and reduction at 0.53 V and 0.77 V, respectively. The bandgap energy of DEBC and DPBC were estimated to be 3.16 eV and 3.19 eV, respectively, according to each UV-Vis. spectra.

A Study of Mental Health Literacy Among North Korean Refugees in South Korea

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate North Korean refugees’ knowledge of mental illnesses and treatments and analyze the factors affecting this knowledge. Methods: Subjects were selected via a snowball sampling method, and the survey outcomes of 152 North Korean refugee participants were analyzed. The factors affecting knowledge of mental illnesses were analyzed via a regression analysis by constructing a multivariate model with mental illness knowledge score as the dependent variable. Results: The North Korean refugees’ mental illness scores ranged from 3 to 24 points, with an average score of 13.0. Regarding the factors that influence mental illness knowledge, the subjects with South Korean spouses and those who had spent more time in South Korea had higher knowledge scores. Furthermore, the subjects who considered the mental health of North Korean refugees to be a serious issue revealed lower knowledge scores than those who did not believe it was a serious issue. The subjects who visit psychiatric clinics showed higher knowledge scores than those who do not. The South Korean subjects who had at least a college education exhibited higher scores than did those without advanced education. The subjects who are satisfied with life in South Korea manifested a higher mental illness knowledge score than those who are not. Conclusions: This study is significant as being the first study to ever measure and evaluate the level of North Korean refugees’ knowledge of mental illnesses. In addition, the evaluations of North Korean refugees’ mental illness knowledge and influencing factors while residing in South Korea created basic data that formed the foundation of an effort to enhance mental health literacy and provide proper mental health services. The results of this study can be utilized to solve mental health problems that might frequently occur during the unification process of North and South Korea in the future.