• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.147-162
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• 2015

Objectives: The objective of this review was to summarize the primary role of three representative endocrine axes in aquatic vertebrates and discuss the effects on endocrine systems and their interactions in teleost fish after exposure to environmental contaminants. Methods: We summarized individual traits and mechanisms for hormonal and transcriptional interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG), hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT), and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes in fish. We also provided a brief discussion on the effects of nonylphenol-induced toxicity on endocrine systems and their interactions in fish as a demonstration of holistic explanation. Results: Currently-available data showed that thyroid dysfunction is associated with reproductive toxicity due to changes in steroidogenic gene expressions and sex hormone levels as well as gonad glands in fish. As an example, we demonstrated that exposure to nonylphenol could induce estrogenicity in male fish by decreasing thyroid hormones, which contributes to increased aromatase expression. Although the mechanisms are complicated and involved in multiple ways, a number of studies have shown that sex steroids influence the HPT axis or the HPA axis in fish, indicating bi-directional crosstalk. Critically missing is information on the primary target or toxicity mechanisms of environmental contaminants among the three endocrine axes, so further studies are needed to explore those possibilities. Conclusions: This review highlights the interactions between the HPG, HPT, and HPA axes in fish in order to better understand how these endocrine systems could interact with each other in situations of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2015

Objective : The current study investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of sexual exhibitionism and frotteurism, which was conducted for the first time in Korea. Methods : Among 568 total subjects (mean age $19.28{\pm}5.0$ year), 109 were victims of sexual exhibitionism (19.2%, VSE) of which 57 were females (91.9 percent) ; and 57 were victims of sexual frotteurism (10.9%, VSF) of which 57 were females (91.9%). The participants completed the self-reported scale for epidemiological and clinical characteristics. Results : Incident frequencies of above two times of VSE and VSF were 49 (50.0%) and 20 (32.3%), respectively. Incident locations of VSE were school/office 37 (33.3%), street 28 (25.6%), and near home 20 (18.3%). Also, incident locations of VSE were inside of bus 12 (19.3%), subway 12 (19.3%), subway/bus station 8 (12.9%), near home 8 (12.9%), and school/office 7 (11.3%). Notifying rate of VSE and VSF to the police were 7.3% and 0%, respectively. Also, notifying rate of VSE and VSF to family or friends were 72.5% and 58.1%, respectively Conclusion : These results suggested that VSE and VSF had a common prevalence, which could be different from behavioral and emotional characteristics of a control group ; and the victims were shown to require an active intervention by supportive social system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1797-1808
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• 2020

Objective: This study assessed the effects of probiotics on cecal microbiota, gene expression of intestinal tight junction proteins, and immune response in the cecal tonsil of broiler chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Methods: One-day-old broiler chickens (n = 240) were randomly allocated to four treatments: negative control (Cont), multi-strain probiotic-treated group (Pro), Salmonella-infected group (Sal), and multi-strain probiotic-treated and Salmonella-infected group (ProSal). All chickens except those in the Cont and Pro groups were gavaged with 1×10⁸ cfu/mL of S. enterica subsp. enterica 4 days after hatching. Results: Our results indicated that body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio of birds were significantly reduced (p<0.05) by Salmonella challenge. Chickens challenged with Salmonella decreased cecal microbial diversity. Chickens in the Sal group exhibited abundant Proteobacteria than those in the Cont, Pro, and ProSal groups. Salmonella infection downregulated gene expression of Occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO1), and Mucin 2 in the jejunum and Occludin and Claudin in the ileum. Moreover, the Sal group increased gene expression of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha factor (LITAF) and reduced levels of transforming growth factor-β4 and IL-10 compared with the other groups (p<0.05). However, chickens receiving probiotic diets increased Lactobacillaceae abundance and reduced Enterobacteriaceae abundance in the ceca. Moreover, supplementation with probiotics increased the mRNA expression of Occludin, ZO1, and Mucin 2 in the ileum (p<0.05). In addition, probiotic supplementation downregulated the mRNA levels of IFN-γ (p<0.05) and LITAF (p = 0.075) and upregulated IL-10 (p = 0.084) expression in the cecal tonsil. Conclusion: The administration of multi-strain probiotics modulated intestinal microbiota, gene expression of tight junction proteins, and immunomodulatory activity in broiler chickens.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5055-5060
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• 2013

Objective: Twist, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, plays a key role in the metastatic progression of human cancer. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 is an endopeptidase that digests basement membrane type IV collagen, therefore being possibly related to tumor progression. It has been reported that Twist and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) are expressed in gastric cancers. However, the exact roles of Twist and MMP-9 in tumor metastasis and prognosis remain unclear. The aim of this study was to casts light on this question. Methods:Twist and MMP-9 expression in tissue sections of 37 gastric carcinomas was evaluated with immunohistochemistry. The staining results were compared with clinicopatholgic features and to patients' outcome. Results: Twist positive expression was significantly increased in gastric cancer cases with lymph node metastasis (P=0.023). But no correlations were found between MMP-9 overexpression and clinicopathologic features, such as recurrence, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis. Overall survival (OS) was significantly correlated with recurrence, serosa invasion, TNM stages, distant metastasis, and MMP-9 (P=0.027, 0.021, 0.000, 0.024 and 0.036, respectively). Disease-free survival (DFS) was prominently related to recurrence location, serosa invasion and TNM stages (P=0.000, 0.038 and 0.003, respectively). In the Cox regression multivariate analysis, TNM stage, distant metastasis and MMP-9 were significantly associated with prognosis of gastric cancer (P=0.002, 0.019, and 0.032, respectively). Conclusions: This study showed Twist positive expression to be significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. MMP-9 overexpression is associated with OS, suggesting that MMP-9 is a prognostic indicator for survival in patients with gastric cancer.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2018

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral malignancy. Numerous therapies have been proposed for its cure. Research is continually being conducted to develop new forms of treatment as current therapies are associated with numerous side-effects. Luteolin, a common dietary flavonoid, has been demonstrated to possess strong anti-cancer activity against various human cancer cell lines. Nevertheless, research into luteolin-based anticancer activity against oral cancer remains scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the effect of luteolin as an anti-cancer agent. After treatment with luteolin, Ca9-22 and CAL-27 oral cancer cells showed condensed nuclei and enhanced apoptotic rate with evidence of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely related to tumor migration and invasion. Luteolin suppressed cancer cell invasion and migration in the current study. Elevated expression of E-cadherin, an adherens junction protein, was evident in both cell lines after luteolin treatment. Luteolin also significantly inhibited transcription factors (i.e., N-cadherin, Slug, Snail, Twist, and ZEB-1) that regulated expression of tumor suppressors such as E-cadherin based on Western blot analysis and quantitative PCR. Thus, luteolin could induce mitochondrial apoptosis and inhibit cancer cell invasion and migration by suppressing EMT-induced transcription factors.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.446-453
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• 2010

Objective : The purpose of this study was to analyze the biomechanical effects of three different constrained types of an artificial disc on the implanted and adjacent segments in the lumbar spine using a finite element model (FEM). Methods : The created intact model was validated by comparing the flexion-extension response without pre-load with the corresponding results obtained from the published experimental studies. The validated intact lumbar model was tested after implantation of three artificial discs at L4-5. Each implanted model was subjected to a combination of 400 N follower load and 5 Nm of flexion/extension moments. ABAQUS$^{TM}$ version 6.5 (ABAQUS Inc., Providence, RI, USA) and FEMAP version 8.20 (Electronic Data Systems Corp., Plano, TX, USA) were used for meshing and analysis of geometry of the intact and implanted models. Results : Under the flexion load, the intersegmental rotation angles of all the implanted models were similar to that of the intact model, but under the extension load, the values were greater than that of the intact model. The facet contact loads of three implanted models were greater than the loads observed with the intact model. Conclusion : Under the flexion load, three types of the implanted model at the L4-5 level showed the intersegmental rotation angle similar to the one measured with the intact model. Under the extension load, all of the artificial disc implanted models demonstrated an increased extension rotational angle at the operated level (L4-5), resulting in an increase under the facet contact load when compared with the adjacent segments. The increased facet load may lead to facet degeneration.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.427-436
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to analyze the concurrent treatment effects of ursolic acid (UA) and low-intensity treadmill exercise and to confirm the effectiveness of UA as an exercise mimetic to safely improve muscle atrophy-related diseases using Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with skeletal muscle atrophy. Significant muscle atrophy was induced in male SD rats through hind limb immobilization using casting for 10 days. The muscle atrophy-induced SD rats were group into four: SED, sedentary; UA, daily intraperitoneal UA injection, 5 mg/kg; EX, low-intensity (10-12 m/min, $0^{\circ}$ grade) treadmill exercise; and UEX, daily intraperitoneal UA injection, 5 mg/kg, and low-intensity (10-12 m/min, $0^{\circ}$ grade) treadmill exercise. After 8 weeks of treatment, endurance capacity was analyzed using a treadmill, and tissues were extracted for analysis of visceral fat mass, body weight, muscle mass, expression of muscle atrophy- and hypertrophy-related genes, and endurance capacity. Although the effects of body weight gain control, muscle mass increase, and endurance capacity improvement were inadequate in the UA group, significant results were confirmed in the UEX group. The UEX group had significantly reduced body weight and visceral fat, significantly improved mass of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles, and significantly decreased atrophy-related gene expression of MuRF1 and atrogin-1, but did not have significant change in hypertrophy-related gene expression of Akt and mTOR. The endurance capacity was significantly improved in the EX and UEX groups. These data suggest that concurrent treatment with low-intensity exercise and UA is effective for atrophy-related physical dysfunctions.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.163-181
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• 2005

Objective: The purpose of this study is to review research papers on low level laser therapy (LLLT) and to improve the knowledge of LLLT field. Methods: For introduction, laser characteristics, including wavelength, medium, beam size, power, and unit power were explained. In order to understand LLLT, tissue optics and light-biomatter interaction were briefly mentioned. We reviewed 21 Korean papers on laser acupuncture and LLLT on the viewpoint of laser apparatus. Results and Conclusion: We found that the description of laser apparatus employed for LLLT experiments were not fully written. Laser wavelength and power which are the most crucial parameters, were omitted in several papers. No paper had information on beam size. In order to have high efficacy, laser should be used with proper laser parameters. Conditions of irradiation area or acupoints should be considered too. Some future technology on laser acupuncture were mentioned.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.558-565
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to develop a predictive growth model for Bacillus cereus in nutrient broth and validate the developed growth model in blanched vegetables. After inoculating B. cereus into nutrient broth, growth of B. cereus was investigated at 13, 17, 24, 30 and $35^{\circ}C$. Lag time (LT) decreased while specific growth rate (SGR) increased with an increase in storage temperature. Growth of B. cereus was not observed at temperatures lower than $12^{\circ}C$. Secondary growth models were developed to describe primary model parameters, including LT and SGR. Model performance was evaluated based on bias factor ($B_f$) and accuracy factor ($A_f$). In addition, we inoculated B. cereus into blanched vegetables stored at 13, 24, $35^{\circ}C$ and observed the growth kinetics of B. cereus in five different blanched vegetables. Growth of B. cereus was most delayed on Doraji at $13^{\circ}C$ and was not observed on Gosari at $13^{\circ}C$. Growth of B. cereus at $35^{\circ}C$ was significantly (p<0.05) slower on Gosari than on other blanched vegetables. The developed secondary LT model for broth in this study was suitable to predict growth of B. cereus on Doraji and Gosari, whereas the SGR model was only suitable for predicting the growth of B. cereus on mung bean sprout.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.427-436
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• 2009

This paper introduced Railway Network Design Problem (RNDP) to provide priority decisions on high-speed railway investment scenarios defined by various network segments and train systems. The RNDP optimizes the objective functions of minimize total travel time. Results show that the priority of high-speed railway investment is found to be East-west, West-coast, and South-coast line respectively. An entirely new line built with 400km/h is found to be the best alternative to East-west line. Regarding West-coast and South-coast line, the combined alternative of upgrading Geolla and Kyeonjon line with 200km/h and building a new line with 400km/h and 350km/h for remains of each line is the best.