• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.133-160
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• 2006

Objectives : Scolopendrae Corpus has a broad array of clinical applications in Korean medicine, including treatment of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. To explore the global gene expression profiles in human Raw cell lines treated with Scolopendrae Corpus herbal-acupuncture solution (SCHAS), cDNA microarray analysis was performed. Methods : The Raw 264.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), SCHAS, or both. The primary data was normalized by the total spots of intensity between two groups, and then normalized by the intensity ratio of reference genes such as housekeeping genes in both groups. The expression ratio was converted to log2 ratio. Normalized spot intensities were calculated into gene expression ratios between the control and treatment groups. Greater than 2 fold changes between two groups were considered to be of significance. Results : Of the 8 K genes profiled in this study, with a cut-off level of two-fold change in the expression, 20 genes (BCL2-related protein A1, MARCKS-like 1, etc.) were upregulated and 5 genes (activated RNA polymerase II transcription cofactor 4, calcium binding atopy-related autoantigen 1, etc.) downregulated following LPS treatment. 139 genes (kell blood group precursor (McLeod phenotype), ribosomal protein S7, etc.) were upregulated and 42 genes (anterior gradient 2 homolog (xenopus laevis), phosphodiesterase 8B, etc.) were downregulated following SCHAS treatment. And 10 genes (yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae intergeneic sequence 4-1, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, etc.) were upregulated and 8 genes (spermatid perinuclear RNA binding protein, nuclear receptor binding protein 2, etc.) were downregulated following co-stimulation of SCHAS and LPS. Discussions : It is thought that microarrays will play an ever-growing role in the advance of our understanding of the pharmacological actions of SCHAS in the treatment of arthritis. But further studies are required to concretely prove the effectiveness of SCHAS.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.921-927
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• 2016

Postprandial hyperglycemia is an early defect of type 2 diabetes and one of primary anti-diabetic targets. The alpha-glucosidase inhibitors regulate postprandial hyperglycemia by impeding the rate of carbohydrate (such as starch) digestion in the small intestine. This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory actions of mulberry fruit extract (MFE) on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, and its alleviating effect on postprandial hyperglycemia activities in vitro and in vivo. Male four-week old ICR mice and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice were treated with mulberry fruit extract. MFE showed strong inhibitory effects against α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values of 0.16 and 0.14 mg/ml, respectively, and was more effective than acarbose, which was used as a positive control. The increase in postprandial blood glucose levels was more significantly attenuated in the MFE-administered group mice than in the control group mice of both STZ-induced diabetic and normal mice. Moreover, the area under the glucose response curve significantly decreased following MFE administration in diabetic mice. These results indicate that MFE may be a potent inhibitor of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, and helpful in suppressing postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. The mulberry fruit extracts may be considered as a potential candidate for the management of diabetes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.878-885
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• 2009

Serum ferritin levels are elevated in subjects with acute lung injury (ALI), and abnormalities in plasma and lung iron chemistry have also been demonstrated in ALI and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Stress-inducible heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), as well as ferritin, had shown anti-inflammatory actions. Biomarkers for early detection in patients who are likely to develop ARDS would give several therapeutic chances to the patients. In order to verify the predictability in severe hemorrhage-induced ALI in rats, we measured serum ferritin and HO-1 concentrations before and after hemorrhage. Severe hemorrhages significantly increased the number of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung tissue myeloperoxidase activity. Both serum ferritin and HO-1 levels increased following hemorrhage, but ferritin levels were elevated earlier than HO-1. In BAL cell immunohistochemical studies, ferritin and HO-1 expressions increased after hemorrhage and localized in the cytoplasm of leukocytes. These findings suggest that inflammatory leukocytes in BAL fluid can secrete ferritin and HO-1, and serum ferritin levels might be more valid factor in predicting ARDS than HO-1 levels in hemorrhage-induced ALI.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.981-987
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• 2014

Foeniculum vulgare has long been prescribed in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of the fruits of F. vulgare on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells under non-cytotoxic ($100{\mu}g/ml$) conditions. The 80% methanol extract was subsequently partitioned successively with hexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol, and the fractions so obtained were also examined for their anti-inflammatory effects. Among them, the hexane, methylene chloride, and ethyl acetate fractions inhibited nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in LPS stimulated macrophages. The methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions also suppressed the productions of interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 by down-regulating their mRNA levels in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate fraction strongly suppressed tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ at the protein and mRNA levels in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These observations suggest that the anti-inflammatory actions of F. vulgare are due to inhibitions of the productions of NO, PGE2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.454-464
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• 2018

Crosstalk between G-protein signaling and glutamatergic transmission within the brain reward circuits is critical for long-term emotional effects (depression and anxiety), cravings, and negative withdrawal symptoms associated with opioid addiction. A previous study showed that Regulator of G-protein signaling 4 (RGS4) may be implicated in opiate action in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, the mechanism of the NAc-specific RGS4 actions that induce the behavioral responses to opiates remains largely unknown. The present study used a short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knock-down of RGS4 in the NAc of the mouse brain to investigate the relationship between the activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors and RGS4 in the NAc during morphine reward. Additionally, the shRNA-mediated RGS4 knock-down was implemented in NAc/striatal primary-cultured neurons to investigate the role that striatal neurons have in the morphine-induced activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors. The results of this study show that the NAc-specific knock-down of RGS4 significantly increased the behaviors associated with morphine and did so by phosphorylation of the GluR1 (Ser831) and NR2A (Tyr1325) glutamate receptors in the NAc. Furthermore, the knock-down of RGS4 enhanced the phosphorylation of the GluR1 and NR2A glutamate receptors in the primary NAc/striatal neurons during spontaneous morphine withdrawal. These findings show a novel molecular mechanism of RGS4 in glutamatergic transmission that underlies the negative symptoms associated with morphine administration.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1972

In an attempt to observe the Possible radioprotective actions of single or combined application of reduced glutathione (GSH) and cold exposure in mammals, the albino mouse was subjected to GSH injection, cold exposure at $-1{\pm}0.2C$ and whole-body X-irradiation with 900r either singularly or in combination, or the X-irradiation following the cold exposure and/or GSH injection. The levels of intrinsic NP-SH and NP-SS of the liver, brain and heart were measured at one hour after each application, and the results were compared with the control, i.e., non-irradiated and non-cold exposed normal animal. NP-SH was measured by the Ellman's method, and NP-SS was measured by the electrolytic reduction method described by Dohan and Woodward. The results thus obtained are summarized as follows: 1) The levels of NP-SH in the liver, brain and heart of the normal mouse was $6.35{\pm}0.61,\;2.65{\pm}0.15\;and\;3.17{\pm}0.10{\mu}\;mol/gm\;wet\;wt.$, respectively, and NP-SS was $3.09{\pm}0.11,\;2.95{\pm}0.20\;and\;0.18{\pm}0.24{\mu}\;mol/gm\;wet\;wt.$, respectively. 2) Though there were some degrees of difference among the tissues studied, a general tendency of (1) elevated NP-SH and NP-SS levels in the GSH injection group, (2) similar or slightly elevated NP-SH and NP-SS levels in the cold-exposed group, and (3) markedly decreased levels of NP-SH and NP-SS in the X-irradiated group, was observed. When GSH was injected prior to the X-irradiation, NP-SH and NP-SS in all the tissues studied showed generally higher values than in the group where the X-irradiation was given alone, and the values were close to the normal. In the group where the cold exposure was applied immediately after the X-irradiation, no significant difference was observed in the NP-SH and NP-S5 levels comparing with the X-irradiation group. On the contrary, when GSH was injected immediately prior to the X-irradiation or cold exposure, NP-SH and NP-SS levels were either similar to, or higher than, the normal value.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2016

Proper actions such as discard, return or manufacturing should be taken to imported plants contaminated with quarantine weeds. Heat-treatment has been used as a processing method in many countries such as U.S., Australia, Canada as well as Korea. This study was carried to find appropriate heat-treatment methods for devitalizing dodder seeds mixed with plant seeds. Two species of dodder seeds and six imported seeds were treated for 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45 minutes or 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 hours at the temperatures of $75^{\circ}C$, $80^{\circ}C$, $85^{\circ}C$, $90^{\circ}C$, $95^{\circ}C$, $100^{\circ}C$ and $120^{\circ}C$. According to the study, dodder seeds were devitalized at the conditions of $85^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours, $90^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes, $95^{\circ}C$ and $100^{\circ}C$ for 15 minutes, $110^{\circ}C$ for 10 minutes and $120^{\circ}C$ for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, seed vigours of Cosmos bipinnatus and Callistephus chinensis had no difference when compared with untreated control at the heat-treatment conditions of $85^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours, $90^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.99-113
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• 2002

While the use of radiation in the medical field provides diagnosis and treatment with important benefits, we cannot deny that the radiation bombing causes some hindrances. The expansion of radiation use in modem medicine is essential, so the radiation use and preparation of proper measure for safety management has risen as a pressing subject. Therefore, in order to make defensive plans for the prevention of health obstacles to general users of radiation and for the provision of basic data of the health education programs to radiation workers by grasping the knowledge, attitude and behavior towards the radiation safety management of radiation workers in each medical institution and by analyzing the factors that affect the actions of radiation safety management, in this study we conducted questionnaires from September 26 to November 5, 2001 targeting 805 radiation workers in 108 medical institutions including university hospitals, general hospitals, hospitals, clinics and public health centers etc. located in Seoul, four metropolitan cities and small and medium cities, and has obtained the following results. 1. The average point of knowledge on the radiation safety management was 10.96 out of 15. As for the general characteristics, the level of knowledge on radiation safety management was higher with older age, high education background and longer career. 2. The average point of attitude on the radiation safety management was 66.36 out of 75. The attitude point for general characteristics were higher with higher education background, longer career and in case of universities, the level of attitude on the radiation safety management was high. 3. The average of action points on the radiation safety management was 56.09 out of 75. In general characteristics, the action level of radiation safety level was higher with older age, longer career, and the reception of radiation education and in case of university hospitals. 4. It is analyzed that the relation of knowledge, attitude and behavior on the radiation safety management is higher as the levels of knowledge and attitude on the radiation safety management is higher. 5. As a result of analyzing the factors that affect the knowledge on the radiation safety management, the variables that can be explained best was in the order of ‘the behavior on the radiation safety management’, ‘work career’, ‘the attitude on the radiation safety management’, and ‘school career’. 6. As a result of analyzing the factors that affect the attitude on the radiation safety management, the variables that can be explained best was in the order of ‘the behavior on the radiation safety management’, ‘the knowledge on the radiation safety management’, and ‘school career’. 7. As a result of analyzing the factors that affect the behavior on the radiation safety management, the variables that can be explained best was in the order of ‘the attitude on the radiation safety management’, ‘the knowledge on the radiation safety management’, and ‘the frequency of radiation education

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.223-266
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• 2020

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) are played by millions of people around the world. Within MMORPGs, players explore, solve mysteries, craft items, battle against dungeon or raid bosses, or compete against other players, all while using a variety of information and information behaviors. Role-players in MMORPGs develop identities and engage in interactive storytelling with other role-players as their characters. An ethnographic approach combining overt participant observation and engagement, semi-structured interviews, and artifact collection was used to explore and describe the social information behaviors of role-players through the lens of the theory of information worlds. The social types evident in the role-playing community in WildStar, a science fantasy-themed MMORPG, are closely interrelated to and differentiated by social norms and information values that dictate acceptable characters, stories, character actions, and appropriate lore sources as well as how to role-play without violating the boundary between in- and out-of-character information worlds. Role-players maintained the in-character and out-of-character boundary using a set of specific information behaviors to enable engaging and immersive role-playing experiences. Implications of the findings for the theory of information worlds as well as potential applications of role-playing and MMORPGs are also discussed.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.128-136
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• 2007

As the international-level concern has been focused on the environmental sustainability in recent years, many researches emphasized the needs for methods and techniques that would facilitate sustainability assessment at the various project level interfaces. As part of methods and techniques to facilitate sustainability assessment, this paper provides 'Computerized Waste Management Performance Evaluation Tool' for the purpose of assessing the level of management system in dealing with the onsite construction wastes. This tool applies twenty-three waste management performance factors for the purpose of evaluating the level of waste management performance by scoring those factors which were identified in the previous research. These twenty-three factors are classified into four categories: manpower, material, method, and management based on their characteristics. In order to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of waste management performance, the levels of actions executed in a site by each waste management performance factor were identified and their weight were analyzed throughout the expert interview and survey. Furthermore, an excel-based computerized tool was developed in order to facilitate the evaluation process. If this tool can be developed in more detail and be used as the method to control waste management at a project level for the future, it is expected that this tool can play an important role in the body of knowledge of environmental management in construction industry.