A Moonlighting Protein Secreted by a Nasal Microbiome Fortifies the Innate Host Defense Against Bacterial and Viral Infections

Gwanghee Kim,Yoojin Lee,Jin Sun You,Wontae Hwang,Jeewon Hwang,Hwa Young Kim,Jieun Kim,Ara Jo,In ho Park,Mohammed Ali,Jongsun Kim,Jeon-Soo Shin,Ho-Keun Kwon,Hyun Jik Kim,Sang Sun Yoon 대한면역학회 2023 Immune Network Vol.23 No.4

Evidence suggests that the human respiratory tract, as with the gastrointestinal tract, has evolved to its current state in association with commensal microbes. However, little is known about how the airway microbiome affects the development of airway immune system. Here, we uncover a previously unidentified mode of interaction between host airway immunity and a unique strain (AIT01) of Staphylococcus epidermidis, a predominant species of the nasal microbiome. Intranasal administration of AIT01 increased the population of neutrophils and monocytes in mouse lungs. The recruitment of these immune cells resulted in the protection of the murine host against infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a pathogenic bacterium. Interestingly, an AIT01-secreted protein identified as GAPDH, a well-known bacterial moonlighting protein, mediated this protective effect. Intranasal delivery of the purified GAPDH conferred significant resistance against other Gram-negative pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii) and influenza A virus. Our findings demonstrate the potential of a native nasal microbe and its secretory protein to enhance innate immune defense against airway infections. These results offer a promising preventive measure, particularly relevant in the context of global pandemics.

Psychiatric Sequelae of Former “Comfort Women,” Survivors of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery during World War II

Jeewon Lee,YoungSook Kwak,YoonJung Kim,EunJi Kim,EJin Park,Yunmi Shin,BunHee Lee,SoHee Lee,HeeYeon Jung,Inseon Lee,JungIm Hwang,Dongsik Kim,Soyoung Irene Lee 대한신경정신의학회 2018 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.15 No.4

“Comfort women” refers to young women and girls who were forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese military during World War II. They were abducted from their homes in countries under Imperial Japanese rule, mostly from Korea, and the rest from China, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Netherlands, etc. “Comfort women” endured extreme trauma involving rape, sexual torture, physical abuse, starvation, threats of death, and witnessed many others being tortured and killed. This article reviews all the studies that have investigated the psychiatric or psychosocial sequelae of the survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery. Most importantly, a recent study which conducted a psychiatric evaluation on the former “comfort women” currently alive in South Korea is introduced. The participants’ unmarried rate was relatively high and their total fertility rate was relatively low. Majority of the participants reported having no education and being the low economic status. They showed high current and lifetime prevalence of posttraumatic disorder, major depressive disorder, somatic symptom disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and alcohol use disorder. Participants showed high suicidality and majority of the participants still reported being ashamed of being former “comfort women” after all these years. This article highlights the fact that the trauma has affected the mental health and social functioning of former “comfort women” throughout their lives, and even to the present day.

Dehydroepiandrosterone supplement increases malate dehydrogenase activity and decreases NADPH-dependent antioxidant enzyme activity in rat hepatocellular carcinogenesis

Jeewon Kim,Sook-Hee Kim,Haymie Choi 한국영양학회 2008 Nutrition Research and Practice Vol.2 No.2

Beneficial effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplement on age-associated chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes, have been reported. However, its mechanism of action in hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo has not been investigated in detail. We have previously shown that during hepatocellular carcinogenesis, DHEA treatment decreases formation of preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci in the liver and has antioxidant effects. Here we aimed to determine the mechanism of actions of DHEA, in comparison to vitamin E, in a chemically-induced hepatocellular carcinoma model in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with control diet without a carcinogen, diets with 1.5% vitamin E, 0.5% DHEA and both of the compounds with a carcinogen for 6 weeks. The doses were previously reported to have anti-cancer effects in animals without known toxicities. With DHEA treatment, cytosolic malate dehydrogenase activities were significantly increased by ~5 fold and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were decreased by ~25% compared to carcinogen treated group. Activities of Se-glutathione peroxidase in the cytotol was decreased significantly with DHEA treatment, confirming its antioxidative effect. However, liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-dependent cytochrome P-450 reductase activities were not altered with DHEA treatment. Vitamin E treatment decreased cytosolic Se-glutathione peroxidase activities in accordance with our previous reports. However, vitamin E did not alter glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase or malate dehydrogenase activities. Our results suggest that DHEA may have decreased tumor nodule formation and reduced lipid peroxidation as previously reported, possibly by increasing the production of NADPH, a reducing equivalent for NADPH-dependent antioxidant enzymes. DHEA treatment tended to reduce glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities, which may have resulted in limited supply for de novo synthesis of DNA via inhibiting the hexose monophophaste pathway. Although both DHEA and vitamin E effectively reduced preneoplastic foci in this model, they seemed to function in different mechanisms. In conclusion, DHEA may be used to reduce hepatocellular carcinoma growth by targeting NADPH synthesis, cell proliferation and anti-oxidant enzyme activities during tumor growth.

Renewal prioritization of multi-regional water supply pipelines through water supply risk assessment

Kim, Kibum,Kim, Mincheol,Seo, Jeewon,Koo, Jayong IWA Publishing 2016 Water science & technology--water supply Vol.16 No.2

<P>In the Republic of Korea, multi-regional water supply pipelines were intensively laid during the rapid economic growth period; however, these pipelines are now aging. The cost of renewal of the aged pipelines would be enormous. Therefore, limited resources need to be distributed effectively in accordance with the priority of renewal. In this study, the risks involved in the multi-regional water supply pipeline of region K were calculated and assessed for setting the priority of renewal. The probability of failure of the pipeline was calculated through a quantification theory, and the effects of failure on the water supply pipeline were calculated by interpreting a pressure driven analysis. The risk considering the probability and consequence of failure comprehensively was found to be the largest at section A12. Three alternatives were considered for risk reduction, and the effect of each alternative on the risk reduction was analyzed. As a result, the construction of double piping by laying a new pipeline was found to be the most effective measure for risk reduction. The results of this study can be utilized as the basic data for establishing an investment plan for the renewal of the water supply pipeline and asset management plan.</P>

Factors Influencing Illness Perception of Latent Tuberculosis Infection: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

( Jeewon Lee ),( Ahran Kim ),( Hyung Woo Kim ),( Ju Sang Kim ),( Jinsoo Min ),( Yeonhee Park ) 대한결핵 및 호흡기학회 2023 대한결핵 및 호흡기학회 추계학술대회 초록집 Vol.136 No.0

Fluorescent Ferritin Nanoparticles and Application to the Aptamer Sensor

Kim, Seong-Eun,Ahn, Keum-Young,Park, Jin-Seung,Kim, Kyung Rim,Lee, Kyung Eun,Han, Sung-Sik,Lee, Jeewon American Chemical Society 2011 ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY - Vol.83 No.15

<P>We synthesized fluorescent ferritin nanoparticles (FFNPs) through bacterial expression of the hybrid gene consisting of human ferritin heavy chain (hFTN-H), spacer (glycine-rich peptide), and enhanced green (or red) fluorescent protein [eGFP (or DsRed)] genes. The self-assembly activity of hFTN-H that leads to the formation of nanoparticles (12 nm in diameter), the conformational flexibility of the C-terminus of hFTN-H, and the glycine-rich spacer enabled eGFPs (or DsReds) to be well displayed on the surface of each ferritin nanoparticle, resulting in the construction of green (or red) FFNPs [gFFNPs (or rFFNPs)]. As compared to eGFP (or DsRed) alone, it is notable that the developed FFNPs showed significantly amplified fluorescence intensity and also enhanced stability. DNA aptamers were chemically conjugated to gFFNP via each eGFP’s cysteine residue that was newly introduced through site-directed mutagenesis (Ser175Cys). The DNA-aptamer-conjugated gFFNPs were used as a fluorescent reporter probe in the aptamer-based “sandwich” assay of a cancer marker [i.e., platelet-derived growth factor B-chain homodimer (PDGF-BB)] in phosphate-buffered saline buffer or diluted human serum. This is a simple two-step assay without any additional steps for signal amplification, showing that compared to the same aptamer-based assays using eGFP alone or Cy3, the detection signals, affinity of the reporter probe to the cancer marker, and assay sensitivity were significantly enhanced; i.e., the limit of detection was lowered to the 100 fM level. Although the PDGF-BB assay is reported here as a proof-of-concept, the developed FFNPs can be applied in general to any aptamer-based sandwich assays.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/ancham/2011/ancham.2011.83.issue-15/ac200657s/production/images/medium/ac-2011-00657s_0010.gif'></P><P><A href='http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/ac200657s'>ACS Electronic Supporting Info</A></P>

Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma: Psychiatric Evaluation of Offspring of Former “Comfort Women,” Survivors of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery during World War II

Jeewon Lee,Young-Sook Kwak,Yoon-Jung Kim,Eun-Ji Kim,E Jin Park,Yunmi Shin,Bun-Hee Lee,So Hee Lee,Hee Yeon Jung,Inseon Lee,Jung Im Hwang,Dongsik Kim,Soyoung Irene Lee 대한신경정신의학회 2019 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.16 No.3

“Comfort women” are survivors of sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, who endured extensive trauma including massive rape and physical torture. While previous studies have been focused on the trauma of the survivors themselves, the effects of the trauma on the offspring has never been evaluated before. In this article, we reviewed the first study on the offspring of former “comfort women” and aimed to detect the evidence of transgenerational transmission of trauma. In-depth psychiatric interviews and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Axis I Disorders were conducted with six offspring of former “comfort women.” Among the six participants, five suffered from at least one psychiatric disorder including major depressive disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder, insomnia disorder, somatic symptom disorder, and alcohol use disorder. Participants showed similar shame and hyperarousal symptoms as their mothers regarding stimuli related to the “comfort woman” issue. Increased irritability, problems with aggression control, negative worldview, and low self-esteem were evident in the children of mothers with posttraumatic stress disorder. Finding evidence of transgenerational transmission of trauma in offspring of “comfort women” is important. Future studies should include more samples and adopt a more objective method.

Evaluation of the Measurement Properties of Self-reported Medication Adherence Instruments Among People at Risk for Metabolic Syndrome : A Systematic Review

Kim, Chun-Ja,Schlenk, Elizabeth A.,Ahn, Jeong-Ah,Kim, Moonsun,Park, Eunyoung,Park, JeeWon SAGE Publications 2016 The Diabetes educator Vol.42 No.5

<P>Purpose The purpose of this study was to present a systematic review of available published studies that evaluated the measurement properties of self-reported instruments assessing global medication adherence in adults at risk for metabolic syndrome. Methods The authors searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL in January 2015 for appropriate studies. The methodological quality (based on reliability, validity, responsiveness, and interpretability) of selected studies was assessed with the COSMIN checklist (Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments). Results Of the 44 studies reviewed, 32 used classical test theory, and 14 used self-reported medication adherence instruments. More than half the studies included patients with hypertension, followed by diabetes, dyslipidemia, and increased body mass index. Among the measurement properties, internal consistency, hypothesis testing, and structural validity were frequently assessed items, whereas only 1 study evaluated responsiveness, and none evaluated measurement error. The MMAS-8 (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 items) and the Hill-Bone scale were the most frequently used instruments. They were found to be well validated, with strong evidence for internal consistency and strong positive evidence for reliability, structural validity, hypothesis testing, and criterion validity. Conclusions The MMAS-8 and Hill-Bone scale seem to be well-validated instruments for assessing medication adherence in adults at risk for metabolic syndrome. These findings may assist clinicians with selecting the appropriate instruments for assessing medication adherence in this population. However, further studies might be needed to define concepts to better understand the dimensions of each medication adherence instrument.</P>

국민건강·안전을 목적으로 하는 수출규제의 WTO 합치성 : EU의 역외국에 대한 개인의료용품 수출허가 조치를 중심으로

김지원(Kim, Jeewon),김종범(Kim, Jong Bum) 한국국제경제법학회 2020 국제경제법연구 Vol.18 No.3

높은 전염성으로 인하여 세계공중보건에 위협을 가하고 있는 코로나 19(COVID-19)에 대한 대응책 중 하나로 EU는 EU 역내 의료용품의 원활한 공급을 위해 잠정적 조치인 수출허가에 대한 시행규칙 2020/402를 발표하였다. 당해 시행규칙은 지정된 개인의료용품 품목수출 시 EU 역내 국가에 한해 허가를 면제하며, 제3국에 대해서는 허가 등의 규제적 행정절차를 요구하였다. 이후 시행규칙 2020/426을 통한 개정으로 EU 회원국 및 EFTA 회원 4개국, 그 외 EU 회원국들과 특별한 관계를 유지하는 해외영역 지정 국가들을 예외적으로 특정하여 수출허가 요건을 면제하였다. 해당 시행규칙은 수출 및 수입 품목에 대한 수량제한 조치를 금지하고 있는 GATT 제11조 위반이 문제되나, 이는 제11조 제2항 (a)에서 불가결한 상품의 중대한 부족을 방지하기 위한 일시적 제한 조치로서 예외가 인정될 여지가 있다. 그러나 해당 조치가 일률적인 제한이 아니며, 허가 면제국가가 아닌 역외 제3국에 대한 차별적 제한 규정임에 따라 수량제한의 무차별금지 제13조 위반에 해당한다. 또한, 이러한 위반조치는 일반적 예외 사유인 제20조 (b)의 공중보건조치 예외 범위에 포함될 수는 있으나, 제3국에 대한 차별적 조치가 자의적이고 정당화될 수 없는 차별에 해당하여 제 20조 일반 예외 요건을 충족시키지 못한다. 따라서, 범유행성전염질병 확산을 막기 위한 국가 혹은 관세동맹의 수출규제는 국민 생명을 보호하는데 필요한 조치임에도 불구하고 같은 상황에 처한 다른 국가에 대해 일률적이지 아니하며 “자의적 또는 정당화할 수 없는” 차별적 조치일 경우 WTO 법에 합치된다고 보기 어렵다. 한편, 동 조치에 대해 EU가 EFTA 회원국 및 다른 국가들과 체결한 FTA 협정을 허용하는 지역무역협정의 예외에 관한 GATT 제24조를 적용할 경우, 해당 수출규제가 협정체결 이후 추가적으로 제3국에 적용되는 차별적 규제로 판단되기 때문에 정당화될 수 없을 것이다. WTO 체제에서 정당화되기 어려운 이러한 차별적 조치가 빈번해질 경우 WTO 체제의 균열은 가속화될 것이다. In response to the highly contagious COVID-19 that has posed a grave threat to public health, the EU announced Implementing Regulation 2020/402 which is a temporary measure requiring export authorization to ensure a constant supply of personal protective equipment(PPE) within the EU. The regulation indicates that only EU member states are exempted from the authorization requirement when listed PPE are exported to the other states, whereas non-EU members must follow restrictive administrative procedures such as a valid export authorization. By revising the regulation through Implementing Regulation 2020/426, it expands the exemption to include the four EFTA members and listed overseas countries and territories which have a special relation with the EU members on the exemption list. First of all, the regulation is likely inconsistent with the GATT Article XI which prohibits quantitative import and export restrictions, but it is also likely justified as a temporary measure applied to prevent or relieve critical shortages of essential products under the Article XI:2 (a). However, the regulatory measure is not similarly restricted to all third states, and it is also discriminatorily imposed upon the non-exempted states. It would constitute violation of the Article XIII, non‐discriminatory application of quantitative restrictions. Also, the violatory measure can be likely justified under Article XX(b), which provides an explicit exception to protect human health. Nevertheless, as the discriminatory measure constitutes a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination, it cannot meet the criteria of the Article XX, general exceptions. Therefore, the restrictive export control by the individual state or Customs Union implemented to prevent the transmission of pandemic disease is not compatible with the WTO law, when it is considered as a mean of uneven and "arbitrary or unjustifiable" discrimination against the other states. Lastly, on the analysis of whether the measure can be justified under the GATT Article 24 which establishes the exception, it should be scrutinized based on the EU"s regional trade agreements with EFTA members and other states. However, as the measure is considered as a more limited discriminatory restriction after the formation of RTA, it cannot be justified. If the discriminatory and inconsistent measures under the WTO become more prevalent worldwide, it would deepen the fissures of the WTO system.

Chemo-therapy effects of ultrasound activated microbubble- nanoparticle complex for trans-arterial chemoembolization on VX2 rabbit liver tumors

Doyeon KIM,Minkyu SEO,Jeewon KIM,Hyuncheol KIM 한국생물공학회 2018 한국생물공학회 학술대회 Vol.2018 No.10