• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.382-387
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to identify binding properties of germanium (Ge) in Germanium-fortified Yeast using optimum manufacturing process. The ratio of yeast cell and germanium solution was 1 : 0.5 (50%), and pH 6.5, $35^{\circ}C$ and 20 h during fermentation, and Germanium-fortified Yeast produced. In results of the XRD, NMR and FT-IR analysis, it was different adding inorganic Ge $(GeO_2)$ during fermentation process from transformed into germanium in Germanium-fortified Yeast. And germanium concentration was not shown any difference before and after in the dialysis test with SGF (simulated gastric fluids). Therefore, Germanium-fortified Yeast of Geranti made by using biosynthetic technology was considered that transformed into organic properties during fermentation process. And, this result showed that Germanium-fortified Yeast was not dissociated under SGF (simulated gastric fluids) condition because of its structural binding safety. Thus, Germanium-fortified Yeast was transformed into organic germanium during biosynthetic cultivation. It is expected that this Germanium-fortified Yeast can be applied as a new dietary functional materials for cellular immunity, recovery of injured cells and immune system, and possible anticancer activities by activation immune cells like macrophage.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2016

Resveratrol is a non-flavonoid polyphenol which belongs to the stilbenes group and is naturally generated in several plants in response to damage or fungal invasion. It has been shown in published studies that resveratrol has an anti-adipogenic effect. A good consensus regarding the involvement of a down-regulation of $C/EBP{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$ in this effect has been reached. In addition, different metabolic pathways involved in triacylglycerol metabolism in white adipose tissue have been shown to be regulated by resveratrol. Concerning lipolysis, though this compound in itself seems to be unable to cause lipolysis, it increases lipid mobilization stimulated by ${\beta}-adrenergic$ agents. The increase in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis, and accordingly the associated energy dissipation, can attribute to accounting for the body-fat reducing effect of resveratrol. Besides its effects on adipose tissue, resveratrol can also acts on other organs and tissues. Therefore, it increases mitochondrial biogenesis and accordingly fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle and liver. This effect can also attribute to the body-fat reducing effect of this molecule. The present review purposes to collect the evidence concerning the potential mechanisms of action which underlie the anti-obesity effects of resveratrol, acquired either in cultured cells lines and animal models.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.313-323
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• 2018

This study was conducted to develop an individualized upper extremity exercise program for patients after mastectomy and evaluate its effectiveness. A nonequivalent control-group pretest-posttest design was used for this investigation. Research participants were patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy at two university hospitals (experimental group, n=17; control group, n=16). The experimental group received an individualized upper extremity exercise program three times a week for 7 weeks. Data were analyzed by the ${\chi}^2-test$, Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test using SPSS WIN 21.0. Inter-group comparison revealed significant differences between pre-test and post-test in hands behind the back, flexion, abduction, external rotation, internal rotation, and grip strength. Moreover, the experimental group showed significant improvements in hands behind the back, flexion, abduction, external rotation, internal rotation, and grip strength relative to the control. In conclusion, the individualized upper extremity exercise program was shown to be an effective intervention to improve physical functions in upper limbs and shoulders. Therefore, this program should be applied to patients after mastectomy in clinics since many patients have suffered from decreased physical functions in upper extremities.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2006

This study was designed to investigate the optimum manufacturing condition of germanium-fortified yeast, and the binding properties of germanium (Ge) in germanium-fortified yeast. The nutritional optimum conditions were glucose 3.0 (w/v) %, yeast extracts 0.3 (w/v) % and peptone 0.5 (w/v) %, and the amounts of yeast cells were 67.4 mg/ml. And, the standard germanium-fortified yeast was produced under the condition at the ratio of yeast cell and germanium solution was 1 : 0.5 (50%), pH 6.5 and $35-40^{\circ}C$ during fermentation. In results of the identification, binding of germanium-protein showed structural difference between the inorganic Ge $(GeO_2)$ added during fermentation process and germanium-fortified yeast. Therefore, germanium-fortified yeast made by biosynthetic technology formed structurally safe organic germanium during fermentation process. Germanium-fortified yeast can be applied as a new functional material far the improvement of health, the prevention and treatment of chronic degenerative disease like cancer, and the enforcement of immune system.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.497-505
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of private health insurance subscribers and non-subscribers as they relate to severely ill patients, and to identify the factors of participation. The study was conducted using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2015, and data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 23.0. The subjects were 417 patients with severe disease (cancer, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease) over 19 years of age. Crossover analysis was employed to identify differences between the state of private health insurance participation, while binary logistic regression analysis was used to confirm the factors affecting private health insurance subscription. Analysis of the effects of the subjects on the private health insurance participation rate revealed that the social and demographic characteristics were higher in younger individuals regardless of sex, residence, or marital status. Moreover, higher household income, regardless of the education level, was associated with a higher participation rate of health insurance target individuals compared to medical benefit target individuals. The private health insurance participation rate was low and the explaining power was 51.7%, regardless of subjective health awareness and walking practice. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve the living environment and support local governmental programs for the elderly, low income households, socially vulnerable groups with limited activities and groups with limited health behavior. It is also necessary to consider various health policies, such as providing government health education or programs to prevent severe illness.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.456-466
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• 2017

This study examined the relationship between the interest in smoking cessation and factors that define the interest in smoking cessation. The study subjects were 593 male civil servants who worked at D metropolitan city, and were smokers at the time of the survey. The research method was a survey using a self-administered questionnaire in October 2015. As a result, the interest in smoking cessation showed a positive correlation with the cues to action for smoking cessation, recognition of susceptibility for lung cancer, recognition of the seriousness for lung cancer, and benefits to the practice of action on smoking cessation. With the analysis of the covariance structure, the benefits and barriers to the practice of action on smoking cessation were the largest factors increasing the interest of smoking cessation, followed by the order of recognition of susceptibility and seriousness for lung cancer, cues to action for smoking cessation, and social support network. These results suggest that the cancer prevention effect due to smoking and the awareness of the seriousness of the health problems caused by smoking were the factors increasing interest in smoking cessation. Therefore, it is very important that education on quitting smoking for male smokers be continued to better understand the factors leading to an increase in smoking.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.321-330
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• 2014

Ultraviolet B (UVB) is a primary environmental factor that induces adverse effects on skin such as photoaging, skin burn and cancer. UVB also increases the expression of $11{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 ($11{\beta}-HSD1$), which converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol in response to a variety of stressors in target tissues. Thus, we have screened new herbal extracts that suppress $11{\beta}-HSD1$ expression induced by UVB in human dermal fibroblasts. We also investigated whether Trapa japonica (TJ) extract and its fractions inhibit UVB-induced photoaging in Hs68 cells and 3D skin model. Results showed that TJ extract inhibited the increase of $11{\beta}-HSD1$ expression in UVB-exposed Hs68 cells significantly. TJ extract and its fractions not only inhibited $11{\beta}-HSD1$ expression, but also suppressed the increase of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, 3, 9) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, 8) in UVB-irritated Hs68 cells. TJ extract also inhibited MMP-1 expression in UVB-irritated 3D skin model. In addition, TJ extract recovered UVB-induced decreases of epidermal thickness and PCNA-positive cells in 3D skin model. Taken together, these results suggest that TJ extract and its fractions inhibit UVB-induced skin photoaging by interfering with $11{\beta}-HSD1$ and MMPs.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.539-547
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• 2016

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a typical myeloid malignancy characterized by cell dysplasia in bone marrow. Currently, there is no therapeutic treatment for MDS. The only available therapies either relieve symptoms or prevent the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study aimed to report the effects of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) on MDS by presenting two case reports. The patient in Case 1 was diagnosed with primary MDS and regularly received acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine. In Case 2, a patient with ovarian cancer was diagnosed with secondary MDS, which resulted from an adverse reaction to chemotherapy. This patient took herbal medicine for four years and was hospitalized three times. In order to have their condition evaluated, both patients underwent regular blood tests. The patient in Case 1, who showed blood transfusion dependency, received only two blood transfusions after TKM treatment, and the person’s health condition was stable as of January 2016 without any signs of AML development. The patient in Case 2 also has stable health condition. TKM treatment effectively treated their MDS symptoms and improved their general health conditions without any adverse effects. It also prevented the rapid development of AML and maximized the effects of conservative therapy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.36-44
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• 2007

Objectives : There have been few studies examining the differences in health care utilization across social classes during the last year of life. Therefore, in this study we analyzed the quantitative and qualitative differences in health care utilization among cancer patients across educational classes in their last year of life, and derived from it implications for policy. Methods : To evaluate health care utilization by cancer patients in the last year of life, Death certificate data from 2004 were merged with National Health Insurance data (n=60,088). In order to use educational level as a social class index, we selected the individuals aged 40 and over as study subjects (n=57,484). We analyzed the differences in the medical expenditures, admission days, and rates of admission experience across educational classes descriptively. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between medical expenditures and independent variables such as sex, age, education class, site of death and type of cancer. Results : The upper educational class spent much more on medical expenditures in the last one year of life, particularly during the last month of life, than the lower educational class did. The ratio of monthly medical expenditures per capita between the college class and no education class was 2.5 in the last 6-12 months of life, but the ratio was 1.6 in the last 1 month. Also, the lower the educational class, the higher the proportion of medical expenditures during the last one month of life, compared to total medical expenditures in the last one year of life. The college educational class had a much higher rate of admission experiences in tertiary hospitals within Seoul than the other education classes did. Conclusions : This study shows that the lower educational classes had qualitative and quantitative disadvantages in utilizing health care services for cancer in the last year of life.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1331-1337
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• 2015

S-allylcysteine (SAC) is an aged garlic derived water soluble organosulfur compound and has been suggested to have anticarcinogenic activity against diverse types of cancer cells. This review summarizes the cellular signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms whereby SAC exerts its effects on cellular proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle progression and metastasis based on the results from both in vitro and in vivo studies. SAC activates proapoptotic proteins including Bax and caspase-3, but suppresses antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins to bring about cancer cell death through mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. SAC also inhibits cellular proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest in which SAC reduces expression and activation of NF-κB, cyclins, Cdks, PCNA and c-Jun, but elevates expression of cell cycle inhibitor proteins p16 and p21 through suppression of both PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways. And, SAC inhibits invasion and metastasis of cancer cells by inducing suppression of both angiogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through decreased cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression and increased E-cadherin expression which were then caused by suppression of inhibitory transcription factors Id-1 and SLUG from SAC-mediated inactivation of both MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR/NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, SAC prevents toxic compound-induced carcinogenesis by inducing antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione-s-transferase (GST). Thus, SAC can be considered as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of cancer.