Konkuk University

About: Konkuk University is a education organization based out in Seoul, South Korea. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Apoptosis. The organization has 13405 authors who have published 27027 publications receiving 506313 citations.

FOCAL CHOROIDAL EXCAVATION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH PACHYCHOROID SPECTRUM DISORDERS: A Review of the Literature and Multimodal Imaging Findings

Abstract: Purpose:To review the literature regarding focal choroidal excavation and show its association with pachychoroid features through case examples.Methods:The clinical manifestations of focal choroidal excavation are illustrated with various imaging modalities inclusive of fundus photography, fundus au

Emerging Trends in Micro- and Nanoscale Technologies in Medicine: From Basic Discoveries to Translation

Abstract: We discuss the state of the art and innovative micro- and nanoscale technologies that are finding niches and opening up new opportunities in medicine, particularly in diagnostic and therapeutic applications We take the design of point-of-care applications and the capture of circulating tumor cells as illustrative examples of the integration of micro- and nanotechnologies into solutions of diagnostic challenges We describe several novel nanotechnologies that enable imaging cellular structures and molecular events In therapeutics, we describe the utilization of micro- and nanotechnologies in applications including drug delivery, tissue engineering, and pharmaceutical development/testing In addition, we discuss relevant challenges that micro- and nanotechnologies face in achieving cost-effective and widespread clinical implementation as well as forecasted applications of micro- and nanotechnologies in medicine

Effect of Trichostatin A on Chromatin Remodeling, Histone Modifications, DNA Replication, and Transcriptional Activity in Cloned Mouse Embryos

Abstract: Our group and others have found that the treatment of embryos with trichostatin A (TSA) after cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) results in a significant improvement in efficiency. We believe that TSA treatment improves nuclear remodeling via histone modifications, which are important in the epigenetic regulation of gene silencing and expression. Some studies found that treatment of SCNT-generated embryos with TSA improved lysine acetylation of core histones in a manner similar to that seen in normally fertilized embryos. However, how histone methylation is modified in TSA-treated cloned embryos is not completely understood. In the present study, we found that TSA treatment caused an increase in chromosome decondensation and nuclear volume in SCNT-generated embryos similar to that in embryos produced by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Histone acetylation increased in parallel with chromosome decondensation. This was associated with a more effective formation of DNA replication complexes in treated embryos. We also found a differential effect of TSA on the methylation of histone H3 at positions K4 and K9 in SCNT-generated embryos that could contribute to genomic reprogramming of the somatic cell nuclei. In addition, using 5-bromouridine 5'-triphosphate-labeled RNA, we showed that TSA enhanced the levels of newly synthesized RNA in 2-cell embryos. Interestingly, the amount of SCNT-generated embryos showing asymmetric expression of nascent RNA was reduced significantly in the TSA-treated group compared with the nontreated group at the 2-cell stage. We conclude that the incomplete and inaccurate genomic reprogramming of SCNT-generated embryos was improved by TSA treatment. This could enhance the reprogramming of somatic nuclei in terms of chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, DNA replication, and transcriptional activity.

XRCC1 genetic polymorphism and breast cancer risk.

Abstract: Department of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology,Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandCorrespondence to Daehee Kang, MD, PhD, Department of Preventive Medicine,Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-Dong Chongno-Gu,Seoul 110-799, KoreaTel: +82 2740 8326; fax: +82 2747 4830; e-mail dhkang@snu.ac.krReceived 30 August 2001Accepted 9 March 2002