• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2021

Hemistepta lyrata Bunge (HL) has been used as a folk remedy to treat cancer, inflammation, bleeding, hemorrhoids and fever, and leaves and young shoots have been used as famine food. Nevertheless, the biological activities and underlying mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory effects remain unclear. In this study, it was undertaken to explore the functions of the aerial part of HL as a suppressor of inflammation by using RAW 264.7 cells. As immune response parameters, the productions of as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cytokines such tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 were evaluated. Although the release of TNF-α remained unchanged in HL-treated RAW 264.7 cells, the productions of NO, PGE2 and IL-6 were significantly increased at concentrations with no cytotoxicity. Furthermore, HL significantly attenuated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway including decreasing the phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases. Collectively, this study provides evidence that HL inhibits the production of major pro-inflammatory molecules in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells via suppression of ERK and P38 MAPK signaling pathways. These findings suggest that the beneficial therapeutic effects of HL may be attributed partly to its ability to modulate immune functions in macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.51-75
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• 2022

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation that is able to alter neuronal activity in particular brain regions. Many studies have researched how tDCS modulates neuronal activity and reorganizes neural networks. However it is difficult to conclude the effect of brain stimulation because the studies are heterogeneous with respect to the stimulation parameter as well as individual difference. It is not fully in agreement with the effects of brain stimulation. In particular few studies have researched the reason of variability of brain stimulation in response to time so far. The study investigated individual variability of brain stimulation based on circadian rhythm and chronotype. Participants were divided into two groups which are morning type and evening type. The experiment was conducted by Zoom meeting which is video meeting programs. Participants were sent experiment tool which are Muse(EEG device), tdcs device, cell phone and cell phone holder after manuals for experimental equipment were explained. Participants were required to make a phone in frount of a camera so that experimenter can monitor online EEG data. Two participants who was difficult to use experimental devices experimented in a laboratory setting where experimenter set up devices. For all participants the accuracy of 98% was achieved by SVM using leave one out cross validation in classification in the the effects of morning stimulation and the evening stimulation. For morning type, the accuracy of 92% and 96% was achieved in classification in the morning stimulation and the evening stimulation. For evening type, it was 94% accuracy in classification for the effect of brain stimulation in the morning and the evening. Feature importance was different both in classification in the morning stimulation and the evening stimulation for morning type and evening type. Results indicated that the effect of brain stimulation can be explained with brain state and trait. Our study results noted that the tDCS protocol for target state is manipulated by individual differences as well as target state.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.471-480
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• 2023

This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Rumohra adiantiformis extracts fermented with Bovista plumbea mycelium (B-RAE) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid content of B-RAE were 379.26±7.77 mg/g and 50.85±3.08 mg/g, respectively. The results of measuring the antioxidant activity of B-RAE showed that it scavenges 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and superoxide anion radical in a dose-dependent manner. B-RAE inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. The gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-lβ (IL-1β), and IL-6 was measured using real time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). We found that, compared to the LPS-treated group, B-RAE significantly reduced the mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the phosphorylation of transcription factors such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway proteins were assessed using Western blot analysis. We found that B-RAE significantly suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2, but their expression was increased by LPS treatment. In addition, the phosphorylation of NF-κB and IκB, which was increased by LPS treatment, was reduced with B-RAE treatment. The effect of B-RAE on the phosphorylation of the MAPK signaling pathway proteins was measured, and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the p38 MAPK proteins decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) increased. These anti-inflammatory effects of B-RAE may thus have been achieved through the high antioxidant activity, the inhibition of NO production through the suppression of iNOS and COX-2 expression, the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, and the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1036-1045
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• 2023

Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by the insidious loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, represents a significant and growing healthcare challenge, impacting the mobility and quality of life of aging populations worldwide. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of soybean leaf extract (SL) for dexamethasone (Dexa)-induced muscle atrophy in vitro and in an in vivo model. In vitro experiments showed that SL significantly alleviated Dexa-induced atrophy in C2C12 myotube cells, as evidenced by preserved myotube morphology, density, and size. Moreover, SL treatment significantly reduced the mRNA and protein levels of muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MuRF1) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx), key factors regulating muscle atrophy. In a Dexa-induced atrophy mouse model, SL administration significantly inhibited Dexa-induced weight loss and muscle wasting, preserving the mass of the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles. Furthermore, mice treated with SL exhibited significant improvements in muscle function compared to their counterparts suffering from Dexa-induced muscle atrophy, as evidenced by a notable increase in grip strength and extended endurance on treadmill tests. Moreover, SL suppressed the expression of muscle atrophy-related proteins in skeletal muscle, highlighting its protective role against Dexa-induced muscle atrophy. These results suggest that SL has potential as a natural treatment for muscle-wasting conditions, such as sarcopenia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1015-1024
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• 2023

Antibiotics have greatly contributed to the treatment and prevention of bacterial diseases in humans, animals, and fish. However, antibiotic misuse has led to the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. In addition to antibiotic discovery research, efforts are being made to combat such multidrug-resistant bacteria using antimicrobial agents, antioxidants, host immune enhancement, probiotics, and bacteriophages, as well as various symptomatic therapies. To discover novel bioactive compounds, it is crucial to adopt approaches that incorporate fresh ideas, new targets, innovative techniques, and untapped resources. Halophytes are plants that grow in high-salt soils and are known to adapt to salt-induced stress through unique metabolic processes that produce secondary metabolites. This study aimed to investigate the effects of extracts of halophytes native to Korea on oxidative stress and to determine whether they exert inhibitory activity against biofilms, which are major pathogenic factors of infectious bacteria. The Acinetobacter baumannii strain ATCC 17978, a representative drug-resistant bacterium, was used to measure anti-biofilm activity. The results showed that Aster spathulifolius, Carex kobomugi, Rosa rugosa, and Asparagus cochinchiensis exerted strong antioxidant and anti-biofilm effects without affecting bacterial growth itself. The halophytes used in this study are promising candidates for the development of pharmaceutical agents with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.167-182
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• 2005

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis according to the criteria of diagnosing knee osteoarthritis in rural women and the factors related with this disease. Methods: The data obtained from 200 women older than 40 years of age residing in 5 Ri's in Goryeong-gun. Gyeongsanbuk-do by random cluster sampling from September to October 2002. Knee osteoarthritis was determined positive according to the Kellgren and Lawrence classification and knee pain. Results: Among these subjects, 71.0% showed more than grade 2 in radiologic finding and the rate of knee pain according to the survey was 67.0%. The rate of subjects meeting the criteria of knee osteoarthritis was 54.0%. According to univariate analysis, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis increased with age and those farming people and people working in household industry was significantly high at 58.9% compared with others. The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis showed a significant relationship with the family history and past history of knee injury and knee surgery(p<0.01), and diabetes mellitus(p<0.05). The score of ADL was significantly different in the subjects with knee osteoarthritis compared with normal group(p<0.05). When the presence of knee osteoarthritis and the period of the life style of seating down on the floor were compared, a significant difference was present between the osteoarthritis group and normal group. As for metabolic factors, the blood sugar level, bone density, and body mass index(BMI) were significantly different in the osteoarthritis group compared with normal group. When multiple logistic regression analysis was performed with the presence of knee osteoarthritis as the dependent variable, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis was significantly affected by older age, subjects farming or working in household industry, the history of knee injury, the history of surgery, higher blood sugar level, and higher BMI. Conclusions: These subjects need an intervention through self-care programs such as exercise for preventing osteoarthritis, weight control programs, other exercise programs strengthening knee joints, and guidelines when working in vinyl houses.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2006

Objective: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ in the peritoneal fluid of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. Methods: This study is prospective and case-control study in University hospital, enrolled thirty-four women with laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and thirty-seven women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ levels in peritoneal fluid were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. Results: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ concentrations were higher than in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. The concentrations were higher than among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. Conclusion: Increased levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ in patients with endometriosis in the peritoneal fluid may be relate to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.159-176
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• 2006

Geographic factors and mathmatical location of the Korean Peninsula have great influences on the variation patterns and appearances over a period of ten days of summer precipitation. In order to clarify the influence of several climate factors on precise climate classification in the middle part region of the Korea, weather entropy and the information ratio were calculated on the basis of information theory and of the data of 25 site observations. The data used for this study are the daily precipitation phenomenon over a period of ten days of summer during the recent thirteen years (1991-2003) at the 25 stations in the middle part region of the Korea. It is divided into four classes of no rain, $0.1{\sim}10.0mm/day,\;10.1{\sim}30.0mm/day$, 30.1mm over/day. Their temporal and spatial change were also analyzed. The results are as follows: the maximum and minimum value of calculated weather entropy are 1.870 bits at Chuncheon in the latter ten days of July and 0.960 bits at Ganghwa during mid September, respectively. And weather entropy in each observation sites tends to be larger in the beginning of August and smaller towards the end of September. The largest and smallest values of weather representative ness based on information ratio were observed at Chungju in the beginning of June and at Deagwallyeong towards the end of July. However, the largest values of weather representativeness came out during the middle or later part of September when 15 sites were adopted as the center of weather forecasting. The representative core region of weather forecasting and climate classification in the middle part region of the Korea are inside of the triangle region of the Buyeo, Incheon, and Gangneung.

• Archives of design research
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• v.18 no.4 s.62
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• pp.95-104
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to estimate the determinants of product design and analyze the impacts of product design on quality competitiveness, product reliability, and consumer satisfaction in an attempt to provide a foundation for the theory of design management. For this empirical analysis, this study has derived the relevant measurement variables from a survey on 400 Korean manufacturing firms during the period of $August{\sim}October$ 2003. The empirical findings are summarized as follows: First, the determinants of product design are very significantly (at p<0.001) estimated to be the R&D capability, the level of R&D expenditure, the level of innovative activities(5S, TQM, 6Sigma, QC, etc.). This empirical result can support Pawar and Driva(1999)'s two principles by which the performance of product design and product development can be simultaneously evaluated in the context of CE(concurrent engineering) of NPD(newly product development) activities. Second, the hypothesis on the causality: product design${\rightarrow}$quality competitiveness${\rightarrow}$customer satisfaction${\rightarrow}$customer loyalty is very significantly (at p<0.001) accepted. This implies that product design positively affects consumer satisfaction, not directly but indirectly, by influencing quality competitiveness. This empirical result of this study can also support the studies of for example Flynn et al.(1994), Ahire et at.(1996), Afire and Dreyfus(2000) which conclude that design management is a significant determinant of product quality. The aforementioned empirical results are important in the following sense: the empirical result that quality competitiveness plays a bridging role between product design and consumer satisfaction can reconcile the traditional debate between QFD(quality function development) approach asserted by product developers and conjoint analysis maintained by marketers. The first empirical result is related to QFD approach whereas the second empirical result is related to conjoint analysis. At the same time, the empirical results of this study can support the rationale of design integration(DI) of Ettlie(1997), i.e., the coordination of the timing and substance of product development activities performed by the various disciplines and organizational functions of a product's life cycle. Finally, the policy implication (at the corporate level) from the empirical results is that successful design management(DM) requires not only the support of top management but also the removal of communication barriers, (i.e. the adoption of cross-functional teams) so that concurrent engineering(CE), the simultaneous development of product and process designs can assure product development speed, design quality, and market success.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2004

The soil samples were collected from the paddy field near the mine tailing dumps in the abandoned Duckum mine in Korea. In the laboratory, the soil solution was extracted from the soil using centrifuge, and analysed for the chemical composition. Physical and chemical soil properties were also analysed. Kaolinite is the main clay minerals in the paddy soil and the CEC value is therefore relatively low. Nearly all soil samples show enrichment in their trace elemental concentrations(Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) compared with natural background level. Some soil samples exceed the soil remediation intervention values for Cd, Pb and Zn and target value for Cu, when compared with Dutch standard, whereas As, Ni and Cr are in normal range. Lead concentrations in some samples near the mine tailing dumps also exceed the standard for remediation act for agricultural area set by Korean soil conservation law. The trace elemental concentrations are higher in the paddy soil nearer the mine tailing dumps and lower for the samples from distance. Similar trend with distance is found for the soil solution chemistry but the decrease with distance from the mine tailing dumps are sharper than the changes in soil chemistry. Cadmium, Cu and Pb concentrations in the soil solution are very low, ranging from a tenth and hundredths to a maximum of several mg/l, whereas their concentrations in soils are highly enriched for natural background. Most of the trace elements are thought to be either removed by reduced iron sulphides or iron oxides, depending on the redox changes. Geochemical equilibrium modelling indicate the presence of solubility controlling solid phases for Cd and Pb, whereas Zn and Cu might have been controlled by adsorption/desorption processes. Although pollutants migration through solution phase are thought to be limited by adsorption onto various Fe, Mn solid phases, the pollutants exist as easily releasable fractions such as exchangeable site. In this case, the paddy soil would act as pollutant pool, which will supply to plants in situ. whenever the geochemical conditions favour.