• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.569-583
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• 2004

The rock properties of the West pagoda in the Gameunsaji temple site are composed mainly of dark grey porphyritic granodiorite with medium grained equigranular texture and developed with small numerous dioritic xenoliths. These xenoliths occurred with small holes due to different weathering processes. As a weathering results, the rock properties of this pagoda occur wholly softened to physical hardness because of a complex result of petrological, meteorological and biological causes. Southeastern part of the pagoda deteriorated seriously that the surface of rock blocks showed partially exfoliations, fractures, open cavities in course of granular decomposition of minerals, sea water spray and crystallization of salt from the eastern coast. The Joint between blocks has small or large fracture cross each other, contaminated and corrupted for inserting with concrete, cement mortar, rock fragments and iron plates, and partially accelerated coloration and fractures. There are serious contamination materials of algae, fungus, lichen and bryophytes on the margin and the surface on the roof stone of the pagoda, so it'll require conservation treatment biochemically for releasing vegetation inhabiting on the surface and the discontinuous plane of the blocks because of adding the weathering activity of stones and growing weeds naturally by soil processing on the fissure zone. Consisting rock for the conservation and restoration of the pagoda would be careful choice of new rock properties and epoxy to reinforce for the deterioration surfaces. For the attenuation of secondary contamination and surface humidity, the possible conservation treatments are needed.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1988.08a
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• pp.47-54
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• 1988

Cholesterol a component of all eucaryotic plasma membranes. is essential for the growth and viability of cells in higher organisms. However. too much cholesterol can be lethal because of atherosclerosis resulting from the deposition of cholesterol ester plaques. It was attempted in this study to understand the preventive effect of ginseng saponin. one of the major components of the roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. against hypercholesterolemia induced by high cholesterol diet. $^{125}I-LDL$ was injected intravenously to rabbits and rats. which were fed a high cholesterol diet with and/or without ginseng saponin for 12 days. The disappearance of the radioactivity occurred faster in the test group than the control. The effect of saponin fraction from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and the purified ginsenosilks. $Rb_1,\;Rb_2,\;Re\;and\;Rg_1,$ on LDL receptor biosynthesis in high cholesterol fed rat has been investigated. Analysis of LDL receptors from various organs such as liver. kidney. adrenal cortex and testis showed that the population of LDL receptors of test group significantly higher than that of the control. It was also found that liver homogenate containing ginsenosides $(10^{-3}-10^{-4}\%)$ stimulated the biosynthesis of bile acid form cholesterol. From the above results. it seemed that ginsenosides lower the cholesterol level by stimulating cholesterol metabolism. which result in the suppression of the inhibitory action of cholesterol on LDL receptor biosynthesis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.111-131
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• 2002

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) received a great deal of attention from the Orient and West as a tonic agent, health food and/or alternative herbal therapeutic agent. However, controversy with respect to scientific evidence on pharmacological effects especially, evaluation of clinical efficacy and the methodological approach still remains to be solved. Author reviewed those articles published since 1980 when pharmacodynamic studies on ginseng have intensively started. Special concern was paid on metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus, circulatory disorders, malignant tumor, sexual dysfunction, and physical and mental performance to give clear information to those who are interested in pharmacological study of ginseng and to promote its clinical use. With respect to chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, malignant disorders, and sexual disorders, it seems that ginseng plays preventive and restorative role rather than therapeutics. Particularly, ginseng plays a significant role in ameliorating subjective symptoms and preventing quality of life from deteriorating by long term exposure of chemical therapeutic agents. Also it seems that the potency of ginseng is mild, therefore it could be more effective when used concomitantly with conventional therapy. Clinical studies on the tonic effect of ginseng on work performance demonstrated that physical and mental dysfunction induced by various stresses are improved by increasing adaptability of physical condition. However, the results obtained from clinical studies cannot be mentioned in the indication, which are variable upon the scientist who performed those studies. In this respect, standardized ginseng product and providing planning of the systematic clinical research in double-blind randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the real efficacy for proposing ginseng indication. Pharmacological mode of action of ginseng has not yet been fully elucidated. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic researches reveal that the role of ginseng not seem to be confined to a given single organ. It has been known that ginseng plays a beneficial role in such general organs as central nervous, endocrine, metabolic, immune systems, which means ginseng improves general physical and mental conditons. Such multivalent effect of ginseng can be attributed to the main active component of ginseng,ginsenosides or non-saponin compounds which are also recently suggested to be another active ingredients. As is generally the similar case with other herbal medicines, effects of ginseng cannot be attributed as a given single compound or group of components. Diversified ingredients play synergistic or antagonistic role each other and act in harmonized manner. A few cases of adverse effect in clinical uses are reported, however, it is not observed when standardized ginseng products are used and recommended dose was administered. Unfavorable interaction with other drugs has also been suggested, which the information on the products and administered dosage are not available. However, efficacy, safety, interaction or contraindication with other medicines has to be more intensively investigated in order to promote clinical application of ginseng. For example, daily recommended doses per day are not agreement as 1-2g in the West and 3-6 g in the Orient. Duration of administration also seems variable according to the purpose. Two to three months are generally recommended to feel the benefit but time- and dose-dependent effects of ginseng still need to be solved from now on. Furthermore, the effect of ginsenosides transformed by the intestinal microflora, and differential effect associated with ginsenosides content and its composition also should be clinically evaluated in the future. In conclusion, the more wide-spread use of ginseng as a herbal medicine or nutraceutical supplement warrants the more rigorous investigations to assess its effacy and safety. In addition, a careful quality control of ginseng preparations should be done to ensure an acceptable standardization of commercial products.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.886-893
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• 2005

Purpose : Kawasaki disease is the most common cause of systemic vasculitis in children less than 5 years of age. Recent immunohistochemistry findings suggest that many vascular growth factors play a role in the formation of the coronary artery lesions. Active remodeling of the coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease continues in the form of intimal proliferation and neoangiogenesis for several years after the onset of the disease. Intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) and corticosteroid have been used in the treatment of Kawasaki disease but the exact mechanism is not clear. We have investigated that IVIG and corticosteroid inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-induced tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro on Matrigel assay. Methods : Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) were cultured and seeded on Matrigel coated 24 well plates in medium with or without the following agents : VEGF, VEGF plus IVIG, VEGF plus VEGF antibody, VEGF plus methylprednisolone, VEGF, IVIG plus methylprednisolone for 18 hours. The total length of tube structures in each photograph was quantified. Results : IVIG significantly inhibited the proliferation of HUVECs. The inhibitory effect of IVIG was also reversible. In the meantime, VEGF induced the differentiation of HUVECs into capillary like structures on Matrigel, which was inhibited by VEGF antibody in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, IVIG and methylprednisolone inhibited VEGF-induced tube formation of HUVECs. IVIG was more effective in inhibition than methylprednisolone alone. Conclusion : We revealed that VEGF induced the differentiation of HUVECs and this effect was inhibited by IVIG and methylprednisolone.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.195-204
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• 2008

Osteoarthritis is caused by joint degeneration, a process that includes progressive loss of articular cartilage accompanied by attempted repair of articular cartilage, remodeling and sclerosis of subchondral bone, and osteophyte formation. The most common causative factor that either causes or contributes to osteoarthritis is overloading of the articular structures of the joint. The diagnosis of temporomandibular joint(TMJ) osteoarthritis is based on the patient's history and clinical findings such as limited mandibular opening, crepitation and tenderness to palpation on TMJ. The diagnosis is usually confirmed by TMJ radiographs, which will reveal evidence of structural changes in the subarticular bone of the condyle or fossa. Plain radiography techniques such as panoramic, transcranial, transpharyngeal views can be used in most dental offices for evaluation of the TMJs. However, plain radiographs are often limited due to overlapping and distortion of anatomical structures. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical examination and panoramic view with computed tomography for diagnosis of temporomandibular degenerative joint disease, and to compare the findings of condylar bony changes through panoramic radiography with that of computed tomography, hence, to confirm the limitations of clinical and panoramic radiography, and the validity of the computed tomography for diagnosis of temporomandibular degenerative joint disease. The pathophysiology of the TMJ osteoarthritis remains poorly understood, and current treatments are based more on speculation than science, and symptomatic treatments often fail to provide satisfactory pain relief. For diagnosis of TMJ osteoarthritis, clinical examination and radiographic examination for confirmation of the bony changes are essential, and computed tomography are clearly superior to plain radiographs for their limitations.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.781-790
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• 2004

골아세포의 생물학적 기능을 증진시키기 위해 키토산의 표면개질에 대하여 연구하였다. 생체적합성 천연고분자인 키토산은 1차 아미노기를 소유하고 있으므로 적정한 공유결합제를 사용하여 세포성장인자와 같은 생리활성을 지닌 단백질을 키토산의 표면에 고정시킬 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 키토산을 필름형태로 제조하여 세포성장인자 중 형질전환성장인자를 고정하고 골아세포의 부착, 성장 및 분화를 증가시키고자 하였다. 형태전환성장인자의 고정화 효율은 단순한 흡착방법에 비해 높았으며, 표면에 형성된 공유결합은 매우 안정하였다. 골아세포를 배양하여 초기세포부착능에 대한 영향을 연구한 결과, 배양 후 4시간, 1일째, 형질전환성장인자를 고정한 키토산 표면에서 고정하지 않은 키토산의 표면에 비해 더 많은 수의 골아세포가 부착되었고, 더 많이 신장된 부착형태를 보였다. 세포활성정도와 배양 후 4주일째의 칼슘축적량을 측정한 결과, 형질전환성장인자를 고정한 키토산 표면에서 고정하지 않은 키토산의 표면에 비해 더 높았다. 위의 결과는 키토산 표면에 형태전환성장인자의 고정이 성공적으로 이루어졌으며, 또한 실제로 활성이 있는 것이 증명되었다. 위의 연구 결과에서 형질전환성장인자로 고정된 키토산은 골아세포의 초기 부착 및 분화를 촉진시켰음을 알 수 있었던 바 성장인자의 표면고정은 임플란트 및 조직공학용 지지체에도 적용하여 생체적합성과 세포기능을 증진시키는데 이용할 수 있음을 알 수 있었다.