Jieun Choi

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the presence and potential involvement of brain inflammation and cell death in neurological morbidity and intractable seizures in childhood epilepsy, we quantified cell death, astrocyte proliferation, microglial activation and cytokine release in brain tissue from patients who underwent epilepsy surgery. METHODS: Cortical tissue was collected from thirteen patients with intractable epilepsy due to focal cortical dysplasia (6), encephalomalacia (5), Rasmussen's encephaliti

Inflammation is known to participate in the mediation of a growing number of acute and chronic neurological disorders. Even so, the involvement of inflammation in the pathogenesis of epilepsy and seizure-induced brain damage has only recently been appreciated. Inflammatory processes, including activation of microglia and astrocytes and production of proinflammatory cytokines and related molecules, have been described in human epilepsy patients as well as in experimental models of epilepsy. For m

OBJECTIVE: Febrile seizures are the most common form of childhood seizures. Fever is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines during infection, and pro-inflammatory cytokines may trigger the development of febrile seizures. In order to determine whether active inflammation, including high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, occurs in children with febrile seizures or epilepsy, we analyzed cytokine profiles of patients with febrile seizures or epilepsy. METHODS: Forty-one fe

Inflammation is known to participate in the mediation of a growing number of acute and chronic neurological disorders. Even so, the involvement of inflammation in the pathogenesis of epilepsy and seizure-induced brain damage has only recently been appreciated. Inflammatory processes, including activation of microglia and astrocytes and production of proinflammatory cytokines and related molecules, have been described in human epilepsy patients as well as in experimental models of epilepsy. For m

BACKGROUND: The search for noninvasive biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration has focused on various neurological disorders, including epilepsy. We sought to determine whether α-synuclein and cytokines are correlated with the degree of neuroinflammation and/or neurodegeneration in children with epilepsy and with acquired demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), as a prototype of autoimmune neuroinflammatory disorders. METHODS: We analyzed serum and exosome leve

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern exhibit distinct features in terms of transmissibility and virulence. This study compared the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in children during pre-Delta, Delta and Omicron waves. METHODS: Medical records of 1163 children <19 years of age with COVID-19 admitted to a designated hospital in Seoul, South Korea, were analyzed. Clinical and laboratory findings during the pre-Delta (March 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021; 330 children), Delta (July 1, 2021

BACKGROUND: High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecule that plays a central role in innate immunity. HMGB1 acts as a late mediator of inflammation when actively secreted in response to inflammatory stimuli. Several post-translational modifications (PTMs), including acetylation, phosphorylation, and oxidation, are involved in HMGB1 secretion. However, the E3 ligases of HMGB1 and the mechanism by which DUBs regulate HMGB1 deubiquitination are not wel

Genetic variants located in IL-1β-31 and IL-1β-511 promotor regions are correlated with higher postictal IL-1β levels in FS. These results suggest that IL-1 gene cluster variants in IL-1β-31 and IL-1β-511 are a host genetic factor for provoking FS in Korean children.

Carbohydrate fatty acid esters are important bio-based, non-ionic surfactants. Their synthesis confronts the challenge of reacting substrates of vastly different polarity. Here, we show imidazolium-based ionic liquids with basic anions (dicyanamide, acetate) as dual-function catalysts and solvents for an efficient C4-C18 fatty acid esterification of sucrose. The conversion proceeds from the anhydride, the vinyl ester, and the free fatty acid in that order of reactivity. It benefits ≥ 3-fold from

We examined the associations among different types of pretend play in peer play groups, as well as the associations between pretend play with peer play groups and children's social competence. Participants were 87 Korean preschool students (42 boys, 45 girls). We observed the participants' pretend play with same-gender, opposite-gender, and mixed-gender peers, and both teachers and peers provided assessments of the children's social competence. Analyses revealed that pretend play with the same-g

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of multi-directional step-up training with rhythmic auditory stimulation on gait and balance ability in stroke patients and also to help develop fall prevention and exercise programs for returning to daily life after stroke. The intervention method was randomly assigned to sixteen stroke patients, eight patients each in the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group carried out multi-directional step-up training with

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is more likely to progress to severe disease in the elderly, and the rates of hospitalization for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increase with age. 1 , 2 Herein, we comprehensively compared adaptive and innate immune responses between children and adults infected with SARS-CoV-2.