Childhood Sexual Abuse and Cortical Thinning in Adults With Major Depressive Disorder

Jinyi Kim(Jinyi Kim),Chanju Lee(Chanju Lee),Youbin Kang(Youbin Kang),Wooyoung Kang(Wooyoung Kang),Aram Kim(Aram Kim),Woo-Suk Tae(Woo-Suk Tae),Byung-Joo Ham(Byung-Joo Ham),Jisoon Chang(Jisoon Chang),Ky 대한신경정신의학회 2023 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.20 No.3

Objective A growing body of evidence reports on the effect of different types of childhood abuse on the structural and functional architecture of the brain. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the differences in cortical thickness according to specific types of childhood abuse between patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HCs). Methods A total of 61 patients with MDD and 98 HCs were included in this study. All participants underwent T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and the occurrence of childhood abuse was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. We investigated the association between whole-brain cortical thickness and exposure to any type of childhood abuse and specific type of childhood abuse in the total sample using the FreeSurfer software. Results No significant difference was reported in the cortical thickness between the MDD and HC groups nor between the “any abuse” and “no abuse” groups. Compared to no exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA), exposure to CSA was significantly associated with cortical thinning in the left rostral middle frontal gyrus (p=0.00020), left (p=0.00240), right fusiform gyri (p=0.00599), and right supramarginal gyrus (p=0.00679). Conclusion Exposure to CSA may lead to cortical thinning of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is deeply involved in emotion regulation, to a greater extent than other types of childhood abuse.

Near-IR Photometry of Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars in NGC 185 and NGC 147

Aram Kang,Young-Jong Sohn,Jonghwan Lee,Min Shin,Mun-Suk Chun,Ho-Il Kim 한국천문학회 2005 天文學會報 Vol.30 No.1

Mouse adaptation of recombinant canine influenza increase pathogenicity H3N2 virus in mice

( Aram Kang ),( Woonsung Na ),( Minjoo Yeom ),( Daesub Song ) 대한인수공통전염병학회 2019 창립총회 및 학술대회 초록집 Vol.2019 No.1

Introduction: Canine H3N2 influenza virus (CIV H3N2) of avian-origin was first isolated and found to induce acute respiratory disease in South Korea dogs in 2007. The virulence of a novel CIV H3N2 recombinant, VC378, which was CIV H3N2 recombinant derived from pandemic (pdm) H1N1 and CIV H3N2 in companion animals was demonstrated in mice. That was notable because mice inoculated with an equivalent dose of classical CIV H3N2 were shown low or no-pathogenic. However, our experiment showed that the inoculation of VC378 CIV in mice still showed a low pathogenic. We evaluated the pathogenic potential that are possibly associated with the adaptation of CIV H3N2 and VC378 virus to mice. Materials and methods: The recombinant CIV strain A/canine/Korea/01-VC378/2012 (H3N2), and the CIV H3N2 A/Canine/Korea/01/2007 (H3N2) were used. C57/BL6 mice (10 weeks old) were inoculated intranasally with virus and mouse-adaptation was performed through 10 lung-to-lung passages. The 10th passaged viruses were grown in the allantoic cavity of 11-day-old embryonated chicken eggs. The 50% mouse lethal dose (MLD50) was measured using groups of C57/BL6 mice (10 weeks old). The MLD50 values were calculated by the Reed and Muench (1938) method after a 14-day observation period and are expressed as EID50. Results: The parental CIV H3N2 virus MLD50 was >7.5 log10 EID50, whereas the MLD50 of the CIV H3N2 mouse-adapted virus was 5.5 log10 EID50. The VC378 virus MLD50 (8.26 log10 EID50) also reduced compared to the parental VC378 virus MLD50 (5 log10 EID50). The MLD50 of the mouse-adapted viruses were reduced 100-2000fold when compared to the parental virus. Conclusion: We confirmed that no or low pathogenicity of canine influenza virus H3N2 become highly pathogenicity after serial passage infection in the mice model.

The Effectiveness of the Use of Regdanvimab in Addition to Remdesivir in Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Single Center Retrospective Study

( Aram Choi ),( Woon-jung Kwon ),( Soyeoun Lim ),( Hyeon Hui Kang ),( Jin Hyoung Kim ),( Byung Ju Kang ),( Yangjin Jegal ),( Jong Joon Ahn ),( Eun Ji Park ),( Jae-bum Jun ),( Taehoon Lee ) 대한결핵 및 호흡기학회 2021 대한결핵 및 호흡기학회 추계학술대회 초록집 Vol.129 No.0

Background Although the use of remdesivir and systemic corticosteroids has reduced the number of deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this disease still has a high mortality rate when it is severe. Regdanvimab (CT-P59), a neutralizing monoclonal antibody that has been proven effective against mild COVID-19, may be effective against severe COVID-19. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the combined use of remdesivir and regdanvimab in patients with severe COVID-19 Methods From March to early May 2021, 124 patients with severe COVID-19 were admitted to Ulsan University Hospital (Ulsan, Korea) and received oxygen therapy and remdesivir. Among them, 25 were also administered regdanvimab before remdesivir. We retrospectively compared the clinical outcomes between the remdesivir alone group [n = 99 (79.8%)] and the regdanvimab/ remdesivir group [n = 25 (20.2%)]. Results The oxygen-free days on day 28 (primary outcome), defined as the number of days a patient was alive and oxygen-free for 28 days from the beginning of remdesivir administration, were significantly higher in the regdanvimab/remdesivir group [mean ± SD (standard deviation): 19.36 ± 7.87 vs. 22.72 ± 3.66, P = 0.003]. The association between the regdanvimab/remdesivir group and oxygen-free days was also significant in the multivariate analysis (logistic regression), after adjusting for the initial SpO2/FiO2 ratio (severity index). Further, in the regdanvimab/remdesivir group, the lowest SpO2/FiO2 ratio during treatment was significantly higher (mean ± SD: 237.05 ± 89.68 vs. 295.63 ± 72.74, P = 0.003), and the Kaplan-Meier estimates of oxygen supplementation days in surviving patients (on day 28) were significantly shorter [mean ± SD: 8.24 ± 7.43 vs. 5.28 ± 3.66, P (logrank test) = 0.024] (Figure). Conclusions In patients with severe COVID-19, clinical outcomes can be improved by administering regdanvimab, in addition to remdesivir. This abstract was also submitted to APSR 2021.

Sputum processing method for rapid diagnosis of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

( Aram Kang ),( Woonsung Na ),( Minjoo Yeom ),( Hyekwon Kim ),( Sun-woo Yoon ),( Heejun Yook ),( Dae-gwin Jeong ),( Daesub Song ) 대한인수공통전염병학회 2017 창립총회 및 학술대회 초록집 Vol.2017 No.1

Introduction: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a member of the family of betacoronavirus, was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. MERS-CoV has ability to cross the host species from camel to human causing severe acute respiratory illnesses, and spread by contact in human population. For diagnosis of MERS-CoV in camels, the immunochromatographic assay (ICA) has been used due to its rapid decision and prompt triage of infected animal for the early quarantine. However, when the ICA is applied to an expectorated sputum in which antigens are present, the viscosity of sputum interferes with the migration of the antigens on the test strip. To overcome this limitation, it is necessary to use a mucolytic agent without affecting the antigens. In this study, we have developed a sputum pre-treatment method by testing specimens of the sputa spiked with alphacorona virus and MERS-CoV. Methods: Two mucolytic agents were used: Tris(2-carboxyethyl) Phosphine (TCEP) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NALC) and prepared at various concentration to treat with sputum. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a blocking agent and protease inhibitor cocktail (PI) was used to inhibit the cleavage of the antigens. After treating the compound to sputum, the mixture was applied to colloidal gold-based immunochromatographic test strip for rapid detection of MERS-CoV or alpha coronavirus (BIONOTE Inc., South Korea). The intensities of colloidal gold were measured by MEDISENSOR Gold reader (SD BIOSENSOR Ltd., South Korea). Results: Intensity of test line was higher when the sputa spiked with alpha coronavirus was processed with TCEP, BSA and PI than with TCEP alone. In the case of the sputa spiked with inactivated MERS-CoV, mixture of TCEP and BSA presented higher intensities, while it decreased in the addition of PI. This was reproduced when compound of NALC and BSA was treated to the specimens. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated that mixture of the mucolytics, blocking agent and protease inhibitor together effectively dissolve the viscosity of sputum minimizing the effect on antigens, which is more suitable for use in flow immunochromatographic test kit than when sputum or mucolytics alone were used.

경계 넘나들기와 도달 불가능한 타자성의 인식 : 김연수의 파도가 바다의 일이라면을 중심으로

Kang, aram 이화어문학회 : 이화여자대학교 한국어문학연구소 2014 이화어문논집 Vol.33 No.-

2012년에 발표된 김연수의 장편소설 파도가 바다의 일이라면은 과거를 찾기 위해 경상남도 진남을 방문하는 카밀라 포트만의 이야기를 다룬다. 해외 입양아는 디아스포라를 겪은 사람으로 자신의 의지와는 달리 폭력적인 이산을 경험하였다. 태어난 나라와 국민인 나라가 다르고 차별을 경험한다는 점에서 해외 입양아는 강한 정체성의 혼란과 분열을 겪는다. 카밀라 포트만의 디아스포라 체험은 탈식민주의적 혼종성의 모습을 보여준다. 이는 위계적이고 이분법적인 근대성을 허무는 역할을 한다. 어린 시절 한국에서 미국으로 입양된 카밀라는 미국 시민으로 완전히 동화되지 못한 채로 정체성 문제에 대해 고민하게 되고 이를 해소하기 위해 진남으로 향하지만 진남에서도 미혼모의 딸이라는 이유로 소외를 당한다. 카밀라가 보여주는 이중의 소외는 근대적 국가가 만들어 낸 폭력성과 자의적인 경계들을 보여준다. 카밀라는 이러한 경험들을 계기로 이중 의식을 가지게 되고, 고정된 정체성에서 벗어나게 된다. 친모의 정체를 찾아나가는 카밀라의 행위는 자신의 정체성의 완성이 아닌 공동체에서 철저히 버려진 친모의 이야기를 되짚어나가는 과정이다. 카밀라에게 중요한 것은 주체가 아닌 타자가 된다. 카밀라는 진남에서 자신의 친부모를 찾게 되지만 다른 사람들의 증언을 통해 또 다른 사실을 알게 되고 두 번의 변화를 겪게 된다. 이 변화는 그녀의 정체성이 유동적임을 보여준다. 카밀라의 유동적 정체성은 타자의 이야기에 더 쉽게 접근할 수 있게 한다. 그녀는 타인의 다양한 이야기를 수집하게 되는데, 이 이야기들은 근대성이 완성시킨 거대 서사에서 소외된 사람들의 이야기를 다룬다. 각자의 이야기는 같은 층위로 통합되지 않고 서로 위계를 가지지도 않는다. 파도가 바다의 일이라면은 총 4부로 이루어져 있으며 초반의 3부의 제목은 서술자의 이름으로 되어 있다. 동일한 사건은 서로 다른 서술자들의 관점에서 반복된다. 서술이 반복되면서 밝혀지지 않았던 전모나 각자의 사정이 좀 더 구체적으로 드러나지만 카밀라를 둘러 싼 사건들이 투명하게 밝혀지는 것은 아니다. 도리어 서술자들의 서술은 반복될수록 한계를 드러낸다. 의문으로 남겨진 것들은 소설 속에서 반복되는 ‘심연’이라는 개념과 연결된다. 이 심연은 타자를 이해하는 것이 불가능함을 의미하는 은유적 표현이다. 이 작품은 입양아가 가진 특수한 상황을 통해 근대성을 비판한다. 근대성은 주체 중심적이며 우리와 그들의 경계를 구분 짓는다. 그러나 이 구분 짓기는 소외와 배제를 불러일으킨다. 파도가 바다의 일이라면은 혼종적인 인물을 통하여 주체와 타자 사이의 새로운 이해 방식을 보여준다. Does Sea makes Wave(2012) written by Kim Yeon-su, set in story of Camilla Portman who is adopted America. Adoptees are a kind of ‘diaspora’, because they experience violent diaspora in early childhood. As nation which they was born and had citizenship are different, they are confused about their identity. The experience of Camilla shows Postcolonial hybridity. It means entering and leaving hierarchical and dichotomy of modernity Camilla who adopted by the United States from South Korea is in agony problem of identity of American citizenship. She could not assimilate in American WASP Society. Searching real mother, she traveled to Jin-Nam. But daughter of single mother is neglect by Jin-nam people. She is suffered double alienation that prove arbitrariness. of national border. Then she has gotten double consciousness and free to fixed identity. The way that find her identity is changed searching the story of her real mother. The important thing is ‘others’ not ‘Subject’ to Camilla. She find her real parents but her identity is changed by testimony of other people. It makes her identity be flexible. Her fluid identity let her access to story of others easily. She collect ariety story of people that is buried by Master Narrative. the story of Camilla sails across story of others but each story is not unified One story but designate the order of rank. This novel is consist of four chapter, three chapter and epilogue. Each three chapter is named narrator. The same event is repeated by each narrator. Vailed story and characters’ circumstances discovered another narrators. But it is impossible to give the entire picture of Camilla and her mother. Three narrators testify limitation of narrators’ point view. Hidden story which still had remained connect to “Abyss”. “Abyss” means impossibility of understanding people. The novel criticize modernity by diaspora. modernity is Subject-centered and discriminate “We” and “Them”. As hybrid identities, the story show new method of comprehension. Because that Subject has its limits and Other can not understand, people should continue to speak and listen to Other.

The Effects of Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne ethanol Extract on Antioxidant activity and Osteoblast Differentiation in vitro

Aram Kang,Bokyung Kim,Jungmin Seo,Mi-Hwa Park,Kyungha Choi,Mihyang Kim 한국식품영양과학회 2016 한국식품영양과학회 학술대회발표집 Vol.2016 No.10

Morphologic Alterations in Amygdala Subregions of Adult Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Lee, Hyun-Jae,Han, Kyu-Man,Kim, Aram,Kang, Wooyoung,Kang, Youbin,Kang, June,Won, Eunsoo,Tae, Woo-Suk,Ham, Byung-Joo The Korean Society of Biological Psychiatry 2019 생물정신의학 Vol.26 No.1

Objectives Previous studies have revealed inconsistent results on amygdala volume in adult bipolar disorder (BD) patients compared to healthy controls (HC). Since the amygdala encompasses multiple subregions, the subtle volume changes in each amygdala nucleus might have not been fully reflected in the measure of the total amygdala volume, causing discrepant results. Thus, we aimed to investigate volume changes in each amygdala subregion and their association with subtypes of BD, lithium use and clinical status of BD. Methods Fifty-five BD patients and 55 HC underwent T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging. We analyzed volumes of the whole amygdala and each amygdala subregion, including the anterior amygdaloid area, cortico-amygdaloid transition area, basal, lateral, accessory basal, central, cortical, medial and paralaminar nuclei using the atlas in the FreeSurfer. The volume difference was analyzed using a one-way analysis of covariance with individual volumes as dependent variables, and age, sex, and total intracranial volume as covariates. Results The volumes of whole right amygdala and subregions including basal nucleus, accessory basal nucleus, anterior amygdaloid area, and cortico-amygdaloid transition area in the right amygdala of BD patients were significantly smaller for the HC group. No significant volume difference between bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder was found after the Bonferroni correction. The trend of larger volume in medial nucleus with lithium treatment was not significant after the Bonferroni correction. No significant correlation between illness duration and amygdala volume, and insignificant negative correlation were found between right central nucleus volume and depression severity. Conclusions Significant volume decrements of the whole amygdala, basal nucleus, accessory basal nucleus, anterior amygdaloid area, and cortico-amygdaloid transition area were found in the right hemisphere in adult BD patients, compared to HC group. We postulate that such volume changes are associated with altered functional activity and connectivity of amygdala nuclei in BD.

ERRATUM : Morphologic Alterations in Amygdala Subregions of Adult Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Lee, Hyun-Jae,Han, Kyu-Man,Kim, Aram,Kang, Wooyoung,Kang, Youbin,Kang, June,Won, Eunsoo,Tae, Woo-Suk,Ham, Byung-Joo The Korean Society of Biological Psychiatry 2019 생물정신의학 Vol.26 No.2

Invited Mini Review : Therapeutic implications of microRNAs in pulmonary arterial hypertension

( Aram Lee ),( Danielle Mclean ),( Ji Hea Choi ),( Hye Soo Kang ),( Woo Chul Chang ),( Jong Min Kim ) 생화학분자생물학회(구 한국생화학분자생물학회) 2014 BMB Reports Vol.47 No.6

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, non-coding RNAs that play critical posttranscriptional regulatory roles typically through targeting of the 3``-untranslated region of messenger RNA (mRNA). Mature miRNAs are known to be involved in global cellular processes, such as differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and organogenesis, due to their capacity to target multiple mRNAs. Thus, imbalances in the expression and/or activity of miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is a progressive disease characterized by vascular remodeling due to excessive proliferation of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Recently, studies have evaluated the roles of miRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of PAH in these pulmonary vascular cells. This review provides an overview of recent discoveries on the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of PAH and discusses the potential for miRNAs as therapeutic targets and biomarkers of PAH. [BMB Reports 2014; 47(6): 311-317]