• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.750-758
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• 2022

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional condition between normality and dementia. Ginseng is known to have effects on attenuating cognitive deficits in neurogenerative diseases. Ginsenosides are the main bioactive component of ginseng, and their protein targets have not been fully understood. Furthermore, no thorough analysis is reported in ginsenoside-related protein targets in MCI. Methods: The candidate protein targets of ginsenosides in brain tissues were identified by drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) coupled with label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. Network pharmacology approach was used to collect the therapeutic targets for MCI. Based on the above-mentioned overlapping targets, we built up a proteineprotein interaction (PPI) network in STRING database and conducted gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. Finally, we assessed the effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) and different ginsenosides on mitochondrial function by measuring the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex and performing molecular docking. Results: We screened 2526 MCI-related protein targets by databases and 349 ginsenoside-related protein targets by DARTS. On the basis of these 81 overlapping genes, enrichment analysis showed the mitochondria played an important role in GTS-mediated MCI pharmacological process. Mitochondrial function analysis showed GTS, protopanaxatriol (PPT), and Rd increased the activities of complex I in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking also predicted the docking pockets between PPT or Rd and mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I. Conclusion: This study indicated that ginsenosides might alleviate MCI by targeting respiratory chain complex I and regulating mitochondrial function, supporting ginseng's therapeutic application in cognitive deficits.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.13-34
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• 2003

Fructose-1, 6-diphosphate (FOP), a glycolytic metabolite is reported to ameliorate inflammation and inhibit the nitric oxide production in murine macrophages stimulated with endotoxin. It is also reported that FOP has cytoprotective effects against hypoxia or ischemia/reperfusion injury in brain and heart. In this study, we examined whether FDP has protective effects on UV-induced oxidative damage in skin cell culture system and human skin in vivo. FDP had a protective role in UVB-induced LDH release and ROS accumulation in HaCaT although it did not show direct radical scavenging effect in the experiment using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). FDP also preserved cellular GSH content after UV irradiation in HaCaT and normal human fibroblast culture system. Cellular oxidative stress induces multiple downstream signaling pathways that regulate expression of multiple gene including MMP-1 and collagen, we examined the effects of FDP on UV-induced alteration of these protein expression in fibroblast culture and human skin in vivo. The increased MMP-1 expression in fibroblast and human skin by UV irradiation was significantly decreased by FDP. FDP also prevented the UV-induced decrease of collagen expression in fibroblast and human skin. Moreover, the decreasing the intracellular levels of reducing equivalents in human fibroblast by glutathione (GSH) depletion lowered the UVA dose threshold for reduction of procollagen expression, indicating that the differences of glutathione contents define the susceptibility of fibroblasts towards UV-induced reduction of procollagen expression. FDP also preserved cellular GSH content after UV irradiation, indicating that FDP has protective effects on UV-induced reduction of procollagen expression, which are possibly through maintaining intracellular reducing equivalent. Based on these premises, we examined the effect of daily use of a moisturizer containing FDP on facial wrinkle in comparison with vehicle moisturizer lacking FDP. In the clinical study, FDP significantly decreased facial wrinkle compared with vehicle alone after 6 months of use. Our results suggest that FDP has anti-aging effects in skin by increasing cellular antioxidant system and preventing oxidative signal and inflammatory reaction. Therefore FDP may be useful anti-aging agent for cosmetic purpose.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.46-59
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• 2017

Objective : This study is to analyze the current trends of research and the subject and method of assessments used in praxis functions through a systematic review. Methods : Through the PubMed, Proquest, and Google database, research articles from January of 1985 through April of 2016 were searched. The keywords used for this search were "praxis AND (validity OR reliability) AND (assessment OR test) AND (preschooler OR child)". Additionally, the name for the assessments from the previous review studies of praxis function assessments was searched. In the end, 14 papers were chosen and 8 assessments that were used in these papers were analyzed. Results : Among the final 14 papers, 10 studies (71.4%) were level III (non-randomized one group) which was the largest number in this review, followed by 4 studies (28.6%) with level II (non-randomized two groups). There was no RCT study which is the level of evidence of the level I research. The results for the analysis of the subjects' age of the final 8 assessments that were chosen showed that most of the praxis function assessments were developed for children. There were 6 assessments of which their reliability and validity were verified and other 2 assessments of which their reliability and validity were not both verified. Conclusion : This study proposes the current trends of research of praxis function assessments. The study's significance is that it provides a research evidence when choosing and utilizing assessments for the children.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.374-383
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• 2024

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance and image quality of 1.5-mm slice thickness MRI with deep learningbased image reconstruction (1.5-mm MRI + DLR) compared to routine 3-mm slice thickness MRI (routine MRI) and 1.5-mm slice thickness MRI without DLR (1.5-mm MRI without DLR) for evaluating temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 117 MR image sets comprising 1.5-mm MRI + DLR, 1.5-mm MRI without DLR, and routine MRI from 117 consecutive patients (mean age, 41 years; 61 female; 34 patients with TLE and 83 without TLE). Two neuroradiologists evaluated the presence of hippocampal or temporal lobe lesions, volume loss, signal abnormalities, loss of internal structure of the hippocampus, and lesion conspicuity in the temporal lobe. Reference standards for TLE were independently constructed by neurologists using clinical and radiological findings. Subjective image quality, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were analyzed. Performance in diagnosing TLE, lesion findings, and image quality were compared among the three protocols. Results: The pooled sensitivity of 1.5-mm MRI + DLR (91.2%) for diagnosing TLE was higher than that of routine MRI (72.1%, P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, 1.5-mm MRI + DLR showed higher sensitivity for hippocampal lesions than routine MRI (92.7% vs. 75.0%, P = 0.001), with improved depiction of hippocampal T2 high signal intensity change (P = 0.016) and loss of internal structure (P < 0.001). However, the pooled specificity of 1.5-mm MRI + DLR (76.5%) was lower than that of routine MRI (89.2%, P = 0.004). Compared with 1.5-mm MRI without DLR, 1.5-mm MRI + DLR resulted in significantly improved pooled accuracy (91.2% vs. 73.1%, P = 0.010), image quality, SNR, and CNR (all, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The use of 1.5-mm MRI + DLR enhanced the performance of MRI in diagnosing TLE, particularly in hippocampal evaluation, because of improved depiction of hippocampal abnormalities and enhanced image quality.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.44-61
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• 2007

The present investigation is concerned chiefly with new curriculum development at the Department of Mechanical System & Design Engineering at Hongik University with the aim of enhancing creativity, team working and communication capability which modern engineering education is emphasizing on. 'Mechanical System & Design Engineering' department equipped with new curriculum emphasizing engineering design is new name for mechanical engineering department in Hongik University. To meet radically changing environment and demands of industries toward engineering education, the department has shifted its focus from analog-based and machine-centered hard approach to digital-based and human-centered soft approach. Three new programs of Introduction to Mechanical System & Design Engineering, Creative Engineering Design and Product Design emphasize hands-on experiences through project-based team working. Sketch model and prototype making process is strongly emphasized and cardboard, poly styrene foam and foam core plate are provided as working material instead of traditional hard engineering material such as metals material because these three programs focus more on creative idea generation and dynamic communication among team members rather than the end results. With generative, visual and concrete experiences that can compensate existing engineering classes with traditional focus on analytic, mathematical and reasoning, hands-on experiences can play a significant role for engineering students to develop creative thinking and engineering sense needed to face ill-defined real-world design problems they are expected to encounter upon graduation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.234-240
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• 2012

The purpose of this case-control study is to investigate the relationship between storke and stroke risk factors, such as family history and past history. The case-control study over clinical data registered from Daejeon Oriental Medical Hospital in the period of November 2006 to July 2010. Study subjects consisted of 108 patients with acute stroke within 1 month as the case group (Cases) and 108 people who visited hospital for health care as the genreral control group (Controls). The participants had been interviewed by residents to find out their family history and past history. Their blood was taken to check the blood lipid level and liver function. 1. The people whose family history included cerebrovascular accident had more probability of stroke than the people who did not have cerebral vascular accident as their family history. 2. The people who suffered from hypertension had more probability of stroke than the people who did not suffer from hypertension. 3. The people who suffered from diabetes mellitus had more probability of stroke than the people who did not suffer from diabetes mellitus. Based on this study, the people who had cerebral vascular accident as their family history should thoroughly treat their blood pressure and blood sugar level to prevent the cerebral vascular accident.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2015

Indocyanine green(ICG) and 5-aminolevulinic acid(5-ALA) have been widely used to mark blood vessels or tumors. However, fluorescent dye detection systems were designed to use one type of dyes only. In this study, we proposed a detection system capable of detecting Indocyanine green and 5-aminolevulinic acid. Multiple filters and light sources are integrated into a single system. In this study, we performed analysis of fluorescent dyes and configured a detection system. During the analysis, it was found that Indocyanine green and 5-aminolevulinic acid have the maximum intensity at $40{\mu}M$. We designed light source for fluorescent dyes and conducted compatibility test using a commercial surgical microscope. The fluorescent dye detection system was configured based on the experimental results. The developed system successfully detects Indocyanine green and 5-aminolevulinic acid. Therefore, more efficient surgical operations can be achieved using both fluorescent dyes at the same time. We expect that the developed system can increase the survival rate of patients.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.172-186
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• 2003

Acupuncture therapy has demonstrated efficacy in several clinical areas, and of these areas the understanding of pain has progressed immensely in the last two decades. The underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in general and the analgesic effect in particular are still not clearly delineated. The leading hypothesis include the effects of local stimulation, neuronal gating, release of endogenous opiates, and the placebo effect. Accumulating evidence suggests that the central nervous system(CNS) is essential for the processing of these effects, via its modulation of the autonomic nervous system, neuro-immune system, and hormonal regulation. These processes tap into basic survival mechanisms. As such, understanding the effects of acupuncture within a neuroscience-based framework becomes vital. We propose a model which incorporates the stress-induced hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA-axis) model of Akil et al., the cholinergic anti-inflamatory observations of Tracey et al., and Petrovic et al.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8483-8488
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-induced mortalities in Iranian women, following gastric carcinoma. The survival of these patients depends on several factors, which are very important to identify in order to understand the natural history of the disease. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, 313 consecutive women with pathologically-proven diagnosis of breast cancer who had been treated during a seven-year period (January 2006 until March 2014) at Towhid hospital, Sanandaj city, Kurdistan province of Iran, were recruited. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for data analysis, and finally those factors that showed significant association on univariate analysis were entered in a Cox regression model. Results: the mean age of patients was $46.10{\pm}10.81$ years. Based on Kaplan-Meier method median of survival time was 81 months and 5 year survival rate was $75%{\pm}0.43$. Tumor metastasis (HR=9.06, p=0.0001), relapse (HR=3.20, p=0.001), clinical stage of cancer (HR=2.30, p=0.03) and place of metastasis (p=0.0001) had significant associations with the survival rate variation. Patients with tumor metastasis had the lowest five-year survival rate (37%)and among them patients who had brain metastasis were in the worst condition (5 year survival rate= $11%{\pm}0.10$). Conclusions: Our findings support the observation that those women with higher stages of breast malignancies (especially with metastatic cancer) have less chance of surviving the disease. Furthermore, screening programs and early detection of breast cancer may help to increase the survival of those women who are at risk of breast cancer.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2003

This paper presents a quantitative analysis method for fall in sick times of the cerebral infarction patients using three types of magnetic resonance image, which play an important role in deciding method of medical treatment. For this object, image characteristics obtained by three radiographic methods of MRI and their relation were analyzed by means of object centered hierarchical Planning method. This methode presents an approach to the knowledge based processes for image interpretation and analysis. To compare three type of MRI. a multiple warping algorithm and affine transform method performed for image matching. Then each fall in sick times level of cerebral infarction was quantified and pseudo-color mapping performed by comparing gray level value one another according to Previously obtained hand maid data. The result of this study was compared to a medical doctors decision.