• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2022

Recently, many hangover cure products containing natural ingredients have been made available in the market that are effective for alcohol-related liver damage or for improved liver function. However, the cure for of liver damage or medication for improved liver function are different from hangover cure. Therefore, the efficacy hangover cure products needs to be verified. In this study, we investigated and compared the ameliorating effect of four commercially available hangover cure products on acute ethanol-induced hangover in Sprague - Dawley rats. The four samples were labeled as C, M, R, and S. The efficacy of the samples was evaluated based on the serum concentration and area under the curve (AUC) of blood ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations to quantitatively assess the hangover cure effect. Ethanol administration to the rats significantly raised the serum alcohol and acetaldehyde levels. The Cmax reduction rates of ethanol for the samples C, M, R, and S were 5.9%, 3.1%, 8.4%, and 11.7%, and the AUC were 8.9%, 2.2%, 12.1%, and 19.6%, respectively, whereas the Cmax reduction rates of acetaldehyde were 14.2%, 15.2%, 28.2%, and 35.0%, and the AUC were 21.6%, 7.5%, 22.4%, and 29.9%, respectively. In conclusion, all samples showed a tendency to relieve hangover in the order of S, R, C, and M in terms of the ethanol concentration, but only sample S showed a statistically significant decrease in both Cmax and AUC for ethanol and acetaldehyde. These results suggest that an objective method for verifying the efficacy of hangover cure products is lacking.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

This paper put the goal on boosting up early startup investment by delivering and positioning SAFE as the main early startup investment type in Korea. In particular, this paper proves the better fitting of SAFE as to the early stage of venture investment than these of Convertible Note. This paper as referring the previous studies of SAFE as the major keystone issues determining active SAFE applying (legal positioning issue, tax treatment issue, failure of inducing the following investment with uncertainty over maturity) proposes boosting up policy of Korean SAFE. First, as to accounting treatment of SAFE, it suggests SAFE to recognize legally as "the capital" on the Korean Venture Investment Act of introducing SAFE actively as venture investment type. Second, as to tax treatment issue, it proposes on amending venture indication rule as the best alternative of resolving tax issue by accepting SAFE as the investment meeting to venture investment requirement. Third, as benchmarking foreign cases, it delivers the method of modifying foreign SAFE Contract Format by adding up more clauses about safety vehicles against the failure of the following investment and fixing maturity date and event. Ultimately, all resolutions of this paper fall on highlighting the role of Korean Venture Investment Act and Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.298-309
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• 2024

Background: 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh2(GRh2), an effective natural histone deacetylase inhibitor, can inhibit acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell proliferation. Lactate regulated histone lactylation, which has different temporal dynamics from acetylation. However, whether the high level of lactylation modification that we first detected in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is associated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) resistance has not been reported. Furthermore, Whether GRh2 can regulate lactylation modification in ATRA-resistant APL remains unknown. Methods: Lactylation and METTL3 expression levels in ATRA-sensitive and ATRA-resistant APL cells were detected by Western blot analysis, qRT-PCR and CO-IP. Flow cytometry (FCM) and APL xenograft mouse models were used to determine the effect of METTL3 and GRh2 on ATRA-resistance. Results: Histone lactylation and METTL3 expression levels were considerably upregulated in ATRA-resistant APL cells. METTL3 was regulated by histone lactylation and direct lactylation modification. Overexpression of METTL3 promoted ATRA-resistance. GRh2 ameliorated ATRA-resistance by downregulated lactylation level and directly inhibiting METTL3. Conclusions: This study suggests that lactylation-modified METTL3 could provide a promising strategy for ameliorating ATRA-resistance in APL, and GRh2 could act as a potential lactylation-modified METTL3 inhibitor to ameliorate ATRA-resistance in APL.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.303-314
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• 2024

Objective: Rutin, also called vitamin P, is a flavonoids from plants. Previous studies have indicated that rutin can alleviate the injury of tissues and cells by inhibiting oxidative stress and ameliorating inflammation. There is no report on the protective effects of rutin on goat rumen epithelial cells (GRECs) at present. Hence, we investigated whether rutin can alleviate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced damage in GRECs. Methods: GRECs were cultured in basal medium or basal medium containing 1 ㎍/mL LPS, or 1 ㎍/mL LPS and 20 ㎍/mL rutin. Six replicates were performed for each group. After 3-h culture, the GRECs were harvested to detect the relevant parameters. Results: Rutin significantly enhanced the cell activity (p<0.05) and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) (p<0.01) and significantly reduced the apoptosis rate (p<0.05) of LPS-induced GRECs. Rutin significantly increased superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activity (p<0.01) and significantly decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity and reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in LPS-induced GRECs (p<0.01). The mRNA and protein levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8) and the mRNA level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and chemokine C-C motif ligand 5 (CCL5) were significantly increased in LPS-induced GRECs (p<0.05 or p<0.01), while rutin supplementation significantly decreased the mRNA and protein levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and CXCL8 in LPS-induced GRECs (p<0.05 or p<0.01). The mRNA level of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4 and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) was significantly improved in LPS-induced GRECs (p<0.05 or p<0.01), whereas rutin supplementation could significantly reduce the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4 (p<0.05 or p<0.01). In addition, rutin had a tendency of decreasing the protein levels of CXCL6, NF-κB, and inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B alpha (0.05

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1294-1317
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• 2023

Background: Post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis (PCPF) is a common complication in severe COVID-19 cases, often associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome or mechanical ventilation. Patients with PCPF frequently experience a decline in their quality of life due to persistent COVID-19 sequelae, including cough and chest pain. However, there is currently no established standard treatment, and the efficacy of existing medications remains uncertain. Case Report: A 65-year-old female patient presenting with cough, dyspnea, chest pain, and fatigue due to PCPF received Korean medicine treatment for 25 days. Symptom evaluation utilized the modified Medical Research Council scale, the Leicester Cough Questionnaire, and the Numeral Rating Scale. Quality of life and functional status were assessed using the Post-COVID-19 Functional Status and the EuroQol 5-Dimensional 5-Level. The extent of pulmonary fibrosis was assessed by comparing chest computed tomography (chest CT) scans before and after hospitalization. Following treatment, the patient demonstrated clinically meaningful improvement in clinical symptoms, enhanced quality of life, and decreased fibrotic lesions on CT scans. Conclusion: This case report suggests that Korean medicine treatment may be effective in improving clinical symptoms, such as cough and dyspnea caused by PCPF, while also enhancing post-COVID-19 quality of life and ameliorating pulmonary fibrotic lesions.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.69-82
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate and compare the effects of 640 nm LED irradiation and aromatherapy on the skin condition of the neck. Twenty female participants were divided into Group A (640 nm LED irradiation + aromatherapy) and Group B (640 nm LED irradiation only). Total of 8 experiments were conducted on the 2 groups twice a week. As a result of the experiment, moisture content was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.01) and group B (p<0.001), and wrinkle index was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.01) and group B (p<0.05). Additionally, the change in skin density was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.001) and group B (p<0.05), and the change in elasticity was significantly improved in both group A (p<0.001) and group B (p<0.001) as well. However, the change in skin tone was not significant in group A (p>0.05), but the change was drastically improved in group B (p<0.05). Blemishes and pigmentation changes were significantly improved in group A (p<0.05), but was not significant in group B (p>0.05). These results conclude that combining aromatherapy with 640 nm LED irradiation can be highly effective in improving skin condition of the neck.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.159-178
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• 2024

This study aims to assess the direct and indirect impacts of local fiscal expenditures on water quality. Panel data spanning from 2010 to 2018 for 173 cities and districts in Korea are assembled, and a two-stage dynamic panel model is utilized for our estimation. The empirical findings reveal several key insights. Firstly, local fiscal expenditures on water quality are effective in ameliorating both Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Phosphorus (T-P). Notably, the direct impact on T-P surpasses that on BOD in the short and long run. Secondly, expenditures dedicated to water quality improvement demonstrate a positive effect on local economic growth, and an inverted U-shaped relationship is observed between BOD and local economic growth. Due to the positive linkage, the indirect effect on BOD suggests, on average, a deterioration in water quality during local economic growth. Thirdly, concerning BOD, the direct effect of government expenditure on water quality improvement outweighs the indirect effect, but in the case of T-P, the indirect effect is not significant, and the total effect is solely determined by the direct impact. Despite local fiscal expenditures potentially exacerbating water quality through regional economic growth, the study finds that the direct enhancement of water quality remains a more substantial factor in the short and long run.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2015

We obtained the following results from investigation on vegetation damage from 5 to 6 August, 2013, about one year after an accident that hydrofluoric acid leaked from a chemical maker, Hube Globe in Gumi. Pinus densiflora and Pinus strobus showed very severe damage. Ginko biloba, Quercus acutissima, Pinus rigida, Salix glandulosa, Hibiscus syriacus, and Lagerstroemia indica showed severe damage. Quercus variabilis, Lespedeza cyrtobotrya, and Miscanthus sinensis showed moderate damage. Quercus aliena, Smilax china, Arundidinella hirta, Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Paulowinia coreana showed slight damage. We did not find any plants without leaf damage around there. This result means that fluoride damage still persists in this area as was known that fluoride remains for a long time in air, soil and water and exerts negative effects at all levels of an ecosystem. In addition, fluoride content contained in plant leaf depended on the distance from a fertilizer producing factory and vegetation damage tended to proportionate to the concentration in the Yeocheon industrial complex. In these respects, a measure for removal or detoxification of the remaining fluoride is urgently required around the hydrofluoric acid leak spot. Fertilizing of dolomite containing Ca and Mg, which can trap fluoride, was prepared as one of the restoration plans. In addition, phosphate fertilizing was added in order to enhance soil ameliorating effects. Furthermore, we recommend the introduction of tolerant plants as the second measure to mitigate fluoride damage. As the tolerant plants to make a new forest by replacing trees died due to hydrofluoric acid gas damage, we recommended Q. aliena and S. china, A. hirta, etc. were recommended as plant species to add mantle vegetation to the forest margin to ensure stable interior environment of the forest.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.129-139
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• 2013

This paper is targeted on proposing ameliorating alternative to performance assessment method of GSEM through evaluating the current one, which is initiated by SMBA to induce fair competition among 5 GSEM across the country and accommodate the quality improvement of entrepreneurship education since 2005 after beginning the SMBA support, from the perspective of BSC(Balanced Scorecard) tool. Ultimately, it complements the policy defects of SMBA over GSEM, in particular, in the process of performance assessment and management. This paper carries out two studies as follow. First, throughout reviewing the previous studies relating to BSC applications to non-profit organization, it set out the direction of introducing BSC in assessing performance of GSEM in order to enhance its effectiveness. Second, it evaluate the rationality of performance assessing tools apllied to GSEM by SMBA on the basis of BSC application over non-profit organization, especially in education institution. Research results shows the following implications. First, the current evaluation system over GSEM is just merely assessment itself and not much contributions for the post performance management. Second, The annual evaluation just remains to check up whether the policy goals are met or not. Third, the current evaluation puts much emphasis just on financial inputs and hardware infra, not considering human resources and utilization of government policy and institution. Fourth, the policy goals are unilaterally focused on entrepreneurs. Fifth, the current evaluation systems do not contain any indexes relating to learning and growth perspectives for concerning sustainable and independent growing up. However, lack of empirical testing require this paper to need the further study in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 2014

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a well-known and rich source of biologically active compounds, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, steroids, vitamins, tannins, and oleic acid. The effects of sea buckthorn fruit extract (SBFE) on ultraviolet (UV)-induced cell death was investigated in SK-MEL-2 cells cotreated with UV and a low concentration (LoC), medium concentration (MeC), or high concentration (HiC) of SBFE. Cell viability gradually decreased in accordance with an increase in the UV dose. The cell viability of the UV+SBFE cotreated cells increased significantly compared to that of UV+vehicle-treated cells during the application of an appropriate UV radiation dose (400 mJ). In addition, the number of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), propidium iodine (PI)-, and annexin V-stained apoptotic cells was higher in the UV+vehicle-treated cells than in the UV untreated cells. The decrease of apoptotic cell numbers varied in each treated group, but it was most significant in the SBFE-treated group. The number of PI-stained cells dramatically decreased in accordance with the concentration of SBFE, and the maximum decrease was detected in the UV+HiC-treated group. In addition, Bax expression increased and Bcl-2 expression decreased in the SBFE-treated group compared with the UV-only treated group. The level of caspase-3 remained constant in all the groups. These results suggest that SBFE may contribute to a recovery from UV-induced cell death through the regulation of apoptotic protein expression and that it may have potential therapeutic utility in ameliorating UV-induced skin ageing.