• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.1226-1234
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• 2012

3,4,3',5'-Tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene (piceatannol) is a derivative of resveratrol with a variety of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-cancer activities. We assessed the mechanisms by which piceatannol inhibits inflammatory responses using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated Raw264.7 murine macrophages. Piceatannol (0~10 ${\mu}mol/L$) decreased LPS-induced release of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, and inhibited LPS-induced protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-${\kappa}B$), activator protein (AP)-1, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) are crucial steps during an inflammatory response. Piceatannol prevented LPS-induced degradation of inhibitor of ${\kappa}B$ ($I{\kappa}B$), translocation of p65 to the nucleus, and phosphorylation of stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK). Additionally, piceatannol inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 and IL-6-induced translocation of STAT3 to the nucleus. Furthermore, piceatannol increased the protein and mRNA levels of hemeoxygenase (HO)-1, the rate-limiting enzyme of heme catabolism that plays a critical role in mediating antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Piceatannol further induced antioxidant response elements (ARE)-driven luciferase activity in Raw264.7 cells transfected with an ARE-luciferase reporter construct containing the enhancer 2 and minimal promoter region of HO-1. These results suggest that piceatannol exerts anti-inflammatory effects via the down-regulation of iNOS expression and up-regulation of HO-1 expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1600-1607
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• 2012

The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family plays essential roles in physiological processes such as embryonic development, angiogenesis, wound healing, and tissue homeostasis as a consequence of MMPr capacity for breaking down many types of extracellular matrix proteins. Imbalanced regulation of MMP expression can also lead to pathological conditions such as tumor progression. We recently reported that the Drosophila Mmp1 gene is highly expressed in the digestive tract and is required for the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis such as by restriction of uncontrolled intestinal stem cell proliferation. However, the regulatory mechanisms of MMP gene expression in the intestine remain unclear. In this study, we determined that the expression of Mmp1 is regulated by the homeodomain transcription factor Caudal. Experiments using the targeted expression of Caudal under the regulation of Gal4-UAS system indicated that endogenous Caudal is required for the Mmp1 gene expression in the adult Drosophila intestine and that exogenous Caudal induces Mmp1 expression. Transient transfection experiments indicated that Caudal can activate the promoter activity of Mmp1 and that several putative Caudal binding sites in the 5'-flanking region of the Mmp1 gene may be critical to the upregulation by Caudal. Our data suggest that Mmp1 is one of the target genes of Caudal in physiological normal condition and in tumorigenesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 2016

Angiogenesis is essential for the pathophysiological processes of embryogenesis, tissue growth, diabetic retinopathy, psoriasis, wound healing, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and tumor growth. Inhibition of angiogenesis represents an attractive therapeutic approach for the treatment of angiogenic diseases such as cancer. However, uncontrolled angiogenesis is also necessary for tumor development and metastasis. Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling, a critical factor in the induction of angiogenesis, cause robust and rapid changes in blood vessels of tumors and therefore VEGF constitutes a target for such anti-angiogenic therapy. Recently, since natural compounds pose significantly less risk of deleterious side effects than synthetic compounds, a great many natural resources have been assessed for useful substance for anti-angiogenic treatment. Here we evaluated the anti-angiogenic effects of a hot water extract of Scutellaria baicalensis (SBHWE) using in vitro assays and ex vivo animal experiments. Our results show that SBHWE dose-dependently abrogated vascular endothelial responses by inhibiting VEGF-stimulated migration and invasion as well as tube formation in a human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) model, without cytotoxicity, as determined by a cell viability assay. Further study revealed that SBHWE prevented VEGF-induced neo-vascularization in a rat aortic ring sprouting model. Taken together, our findings reveal an anti-angiogenic activity of Scutellaria baicalensis and suggest that SBHWE is a novel candidate inhibitor of VEGF-induced angiogenesis.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2000

It is important to identify modifiable risk factors for breast cancer, because the breast cancer is one of the major causs of mortality among women. Some reported that obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer, but the results are not constant. Many risk factors are related to the duration of estrogenic stimulation of the breast. In general, early menarche and late menopause are positive risk factors. Human breast cancer has different characteristics according to the status of menopause(premenopause and postmenopause). In premenopausal women, about 60% of circulating estrogen is from the ovaries in the form of estradiol, and the remaining 40% is estrogen formed primarily in the adipose(fat) tissue via aromatization of androstenedion from the adrenal glands. After menopause this adipose cell production of estrone is the main source of estrogens and the level of estrone is maintained approximately at premenopausal levels. This study was undertaken to determine the role of body size and body mass index by status of menopause in development of breast cancer using retrospective case/control study. From March 1991 to February 1997 at the Wonkwang University Hospital, the breast cancer cases(n=72) and controls(n=86) were selected. By statistical analysis method, regression analysis, paired T-test and multiple logistic regression were done to estimate the influenced factors same as height, weight, BMI, age at menarche and age at menopause. The following results were obtained : 1. In premenopausal women, age at menarche was showed comparatively high correlation coefficients and BMI was described prominently highly in postmenopause. 2. At the results of multiple regression analysis, age at monarch, BMI and weight were showed as significant variables. In this method, critical factor ($R^2$) was 0.054. 3. Paired samples T-test was undertaken to test mean difference between two groups of cases and controls. The result of test performance showed a significant difference. 4. In comparison with women whose weight less than 50 kg, the ORs for the upper 5th group was 1.82(95% confidence interval). The heaviest women had a higher risk(OR=1.14, 95% confidence interval $1.12{\sim}1.31$, p=0.005). Higher body mass index was significantly associated with increased risk of premenopausal breast cancer (OR=1.01, 95% confidence interval $1.08{\sim}l.18$, p=0.05).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2018

Due to the critical location and physiological activities of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell, it is constantly subjected to contact with various infectious agents and inflammatory mediators. However, little is known about the signaling events in RPE involved in Toxoplasma gondii infection and development. The aim of the study is to screen the host mRNA transcriptional change of 3 inflammation-related gene categories, PI3K/Akt pathway regulatory components, blood vessel development factors and ROS regulators, to prove that PI3K/Akt or mTOR signaling pathway play an essential role in regulating the selected inflammation-related genes. The selected genes include PH domain and leucine- rich-repeat protein phosphatases (PHLPP), casein kinase2 (CK2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1). Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we found that T. gondii up-regulates PHLPP2, $CK2{\beta}$, VEGF, GCL, GST and NQO1 gene expression levels, but down-regulates PHLPP1 and PEDF mRNA transcription levels. PI3K inhibition and mTOR inhibition by specific inhibitors showed that most of these host gene expression patterns were due to activation of PI3K/Akt or mTOR pathways with some exceptional cases. Taken together, our results reveal a new molecular mechanism of these gene expression change dependent on PI3K/Akt or mTOR pathways and highlight more systematical insight of how an intracellular T. gondii can manipulate host genes to avoid host defense.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.17-23
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• 2010

The Banking industry is expanding rapidly. To keep the competitive advantages, participating companies concentrate their resource to provide the distinguishable services by increasing the service quality. This study is to find that how three kinds of service quality(process, output, and service environment) affect on the customer satisfaction. In this paper, WPCSI (Weighted Potential Customer Satisfaction Index) was developed using Kano model and PCSI. Kano's model of service quality classification was used to improve customer satisfaction, customer satisfaction index was calculated. Customer satisfaction index was calculated using the existing potential for improving customer satisfaction index (PCSI Index) to complement the limitations of the weighted potential improve customer satisfaction index (WPCSI) were used. Analysis using PCSI improve the quality of service levels may be useful in assessing. However, this figure is a marginal degree of importance on customers and quality characteristics have been overlooked but has its problems. A service provided to customers with some important differences depending on the interpretation of the scope for improvement is to be classified. In other words, the level of customer satisfaction and the satisfaction of the current difference between the comparison factor for the company to provide information about the priority of the improvement was not significant. Companies are also considered important that the customer does not consider the uniform quality of service provided can be fallible. In this study, the weighted potential to improve it improve customer satisfaction index (WPCSI) proposed a new customer satisfaction index. This is for customers to recognize the importance of quality characteristics by weighting factors, to identify practical and improved priority to provide more useful information than has been. Weighted potentially improve customer satisfaction index (WPCSI) presented in this study by the customers aware of the importance of considering the quality factor is an exponent. The results, 'Employees' working ability', 'provided the desired service level', 'staff to handle this task quickly enough' to the customer of the factors had significant effects on satisfaction are met. On the other hand 'aggressiveness on the product description of employees', 'service environment as a whole, beautiful enough to' meet and shows no significant difference between satisfaction. But 'aggressiveness on the product description of employees' and reverse (逆) were attributable to the quality. Small dogs and overly aggressive products that encourage the customer dissatisfaction that can result in widening should be careful because the quality factor can be said. As a result, WPCSI is more effect to find critical factors which can affect customer satisfaction than PCSI. After that, we discuss effects and advantages of customer satisfaction using WPCSI. This study, along with these positive aspects, the limitations are implied. First, this study directly to the bank so that I could visit any other way for customers, utilizing the Internet or mobile to take advantage of the respondents were excluded from the analysis. Second, in survey questionnaires can help improve understanding of the measures will be taken. In addition to the survey targeted mainly focused on Seoul, according to a sample, so sampling can cause problems is the viscosity revealed intends.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.304-310
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• 2017

This study is a methodological research study that tests the validity and reliability of the NCRC (Nurse Clinical Reasoning Competence scale), an instrument developed by Liou and his colleagues as the basic data for enhancing the clinical reasoning competence of nurses, by translating it into Korean and checking the similarity of the sentence structure and meaning (between the two versions?). This study verified its validity and reliability by examining 166 nurses working in four tertiary hospitals located in Seoul and Busan. An analysis of the content validity by experts showed that all of the items have a content validity higher than CVI 0.8. From the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, it was found that the instrument includes a total of 15 items consisting of one factor. In addition, the correlation with the Korean version of the Nurse Clinical Reasoning Competence scale is confirmed to test the concurrent validity, by using a measurement tool of nurses' critical thinking dispositions and clinical decision-making abilities (correlation coefficient =.55-.64(p<.001) and Cronbach's ${\alpha}=.93$). Thus, the Korean version of the NCRC may be a useful instrument for evaluating the clinical reasoning competence of Korean nurses and providing the basic data for assessing their clinical reasoning competence and developing their promotion strategies.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.233-246
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• 2009

The partitioning of evapotranspiration (ET) into evaporation (E) and transpiration (T) is critical in understanding the water cycle and the couplings between the cycles of energy, water, and carbon. In forests, the total ET measured above the canopy consists of T from both overstory and understory vegetation, and E from soil and the intercepted precipitation. To quantify their relative contributions, we have measured ET from the floors of deciduous and coniferous forests in Gwangneung using eddy covariance technique from 1 June 2008 to 31 May 2009. Due to smaller eddies that contribute to turbulent transfer near the ground, we performed a spectrum analysis and found that the errors associated with sensor separation were <10%. The annual sum of the understory ET was 59 mm (16% of total ET) in the deciduous forest and 43 mm (~7%) in the coniferous forest. Overall, the understory ET was not negligible except during the summer season when the plant area index was near its maximum. In both forest canopies, the decoupling factor ($\Omega$) was about ~0.15, indicating that the understory ET was controlled mainly by vapor pressure deficit and soil moisture content. The differences in the understory ET between the two forest canopies were due to different environmental conditions within the canopies, particularly the contrasting air humidity and soil water content. The non-negligible understory ET in the Gwangneung forests suggests that the dual source or multi-level models are required for the interpretation and modeling of surface exchange of mass and energy in these forests.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 1998

Ho-l66 was produced by neutron reaction in a reactor at the Korea Atomic Energy Institute (Taejon, Korea). Ho-l66 emits a high energy beta particles with a maximum energy of 1.85 MeV and small proportion of gamma rays (80 keV). Therefore, the radiation absorbed dose estimation could be based on the in-vivo quantification of the activity in tumors from the gamma camera images. Approximately 1 mCi of Ho-l66 in solution was mixed into the flood phantom and planar scintigraphic images were acquired with and without patient interposed between the phantom and scintillation camera. Transmission factor over an area of interest was calculated from the ratio of counts in selected regions of the two images described above. A dual-head gamma camera(Multispect2, Siemens, Hoffman Estates, IL, USA) equipped with medium energy collimators was utilized for imaging(80 keV${\pm}$10%). Fifty-nine year old female patient with hepatoma was enrolled into the therapeutic protocol after the informed consent obtained. Thirty millicuries(110MBq) of Ho-166-CHICO was injected into the right hepatic arterial branch supplying hepatoma. When the injection was completed, anterior and posterior scintigraphic views of the chest and pelvic regions were obtained for 3 successive days. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn over the organs in both the anterior and posterior views. The activity in those ROIs was estimated from geometric mean, calibration factor and transmission factors. Absorbed dose was calculated using the Marinelli formula and Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) schema. Tumor dose of the patient treated with 1110 MBq(30 mCi) Ho-l66 was calculated to be 179.7 Gy. Dose distribution to normal liver, spleen, lung and bone was 9.1, 10.3, 3.9, 5.0 % of the tumor dose respectively. In conclusion, tumor dose and absorbed dose to surrounding structures were calculated by daily external imaging after the Ho-l66 therapy for hepatoma. In order to limit the thresholding dose to each surrounding organ, absorbed dose calculation provides useful information.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.370-378
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• 2015

Oral health is a critical factor for diagnosing overall health, as poor oral health has a negative impact on food intake and results in deterioration of nutritional status. The purpose of this study was to research the needs for food developments for the elderly based on their oral and overall health status. Oral status was significantly associated with self-reported health status, and dry mouth (lack of saliva) especially showed a significant relationship with negative self-perception of both oral and overall health. For both elderly men and women, fish and leafy vegetables were the most preferred side dishes. Bread, rice cake, and beverage-type foods were also preferred for snack development. Disease status of the elderly was significantly related with their preference for food development. For instance, those with diabetes were more likely to ask for anti-diabetic diets. The most important factor for the elderly in choosing food was nutritional balance, and less than 3,000 won was cited as an affordable price. The results could be utilized as basic data to develop foods for the elderly.