• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.592-603
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• 2017

Purpose: The effects of various concentrations of ascorbic acid on stem cell spheroids derived from intraoral areas are not known yet. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of ascorbic acid on the morphology and cellular viability of stem cell spheroids derived from the gingival tissues. Materials and Methods: Stem cells were plated onto silicon elastomer-based concave microwells and grown in the presence of ascorbic acid at concentrations ranging from 0.003% to 0.3%. The morphology of the cells was viewed under an inverted microscope at day 1, 2, 3 and 5. Qualitative live/dead assay and quantitative cellular viability using Cell Counting Kit-8 were performed on day 2 and day 5. Results: Gingiva-derived stem cells formed spheroids irrespective of ascorbic acid concentration in silicon elastomer-based concave microwells. Increase in the diameter of spheroid were seen with higher concentrations of ascorbic acid. Higher cellular viability was seen in higher concentrations of ascorbic acid. Conclusion: Within the experimental setting, the application of ascorbic acid on stem-cell spheroids produced an increase in the size and higher viability with higher dosage. It can be suggested ascorbic acid be applied with stem cell spheroids for tissue engineering purposes.

• IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2022

IR-UWB radar has been regarded as the most promising technology for non-contact respiration and heartbeat monitoring because of its ability of detecting slight motion even in submillimeter range. Measuring heart rate is most challenging since the chest movement by heartbeat is quite subtle and easily interfered with by a random body motion or background noise. Additionally, periodic sampling can be limited by the performance of computer that handles the radar signals. In this paper, we deploy Lomb-Scargle periodogram method that estimates heart rate even with irregularly sampled data and uneven signal amplitude. Lomb-Scargle periodogram is known as a method for finding periodicity in irregularly-sampled and noisy data set. We also implement a motion detection scheme in order to make the heart rate estimation pause when a random motion is detected. Our scheme is implemented using Novelda's X4M03 radar development kit and its corresponding drivers and Python packages. Experimental results show that the estimation with Lomb-Scargle periodogram yield more accurate heart rate than the method of measuring peak-to-peak distance.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.19-24
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• 2022

The purpose of this research is to determine the hardness of guide hole. A guide pin and a guide hole of SSD(Solid State Drive) tester used to mount SSD in a fixed position accurately. The guide pin and guide hole are worn by friction due to repeated operation, and the wear is concentrated on the guide hole made of weak material rather than the guide pin made of relatively strong material. Because of that reason, it is often overdesigned in the design stage because it can lose its function. If the guide hole is made soft, the manufacturing cost will decrease, but the accuracy will decrease due to wear caused by repeated friction. If the guide hole is manufactured excessively, the manufacturing process becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases. It is essential to design a guide hole, but since there is no standard or verified data that can be referenced, it is difficult to design. Experimental device which guides in the same way as the SSD tester is used for this research, and three types of anodizing state are experimented for different hardness. Also, weight of COK(Change over Kit) were analyzed by measuring the wear amount and state of the guide hole according to the number of repeated attachment and detachment.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2022

Objective: This prospective consecutive study investigated the variation in sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in multiple semen samples from patients with cancer. Methods: Eighty-one patients with various cancers underwent multiple semen collections on 3 consecutive days for sperm cryopreservation prior to cancer treatment. A commercial Halosperm kit was used to measure SDF. Within- and between-subject coefficients of variation were estimated via random-effects analysis of variance to assess the consistency of semen parameters and SDF. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess the magnitude of the between-subject component of variance relative to the total variance. Results: The volume of semen in the day-2 and day-3 samples was significantly lower compared with the day-1 sample. Most parameters showed high ICC values, suggesting that within-subject fluctuations were small relative to the between-subject variability. The highest ICC values were identified for the SDF (ICC, 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.84) and semen volume (ICC, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.45-0.84). Conclusion: Our findings showed that repeated ejaculates from patients with cancer had stable SDF levels.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study is evaluating the effect of Poria cocos pharmacopuncture (PCP) at $SP_6$(Sameumgyo) and $ST_{36}$(Joksamni) on chronic stress model(CSM) rats. Methods : The experimental rats were assigned to five groups: normal, CSM(control), PCP1X, PCP2.5X and PCP5X. The experimental rats in CSM(control), PCP1X, PCP2.5X and PCP5X were put through a timetable to cause CSM. PCP($20{\mu}l$) was administered at $SP_6$, $ST_{36}$ to groups PCP1X, PCP2.5X and PCP5X once every three days for a total of six times. The weight of the rats was measured by an electronic scale after PCP injection, once every three days for a total of six times. Blood samples were taken from the rats for analysis of aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT). Serotonin and norepinephrine were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) kit. Results : The experimental groups(PCP1X, 2.5X, 5X) showed significant body weight increase compared to the control group. Regarding AST and ALT changes in serum, the experimental groups(PCP2.5X, 5X) showed a significant decrease compared to the control group. For Serotonin changes in serum, the experimental group(PCP5X) showed a significant increase compared to the control group. For Norepinephrine changes in serum, the experimental groups(PCP2.5X) showed a significant decrease compared to the control group. Conclusions : These data suggest that PCP at $SP_6$, $ST_{36}$ has therapeutic effects on CSM rats.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.719-741
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• 1997

This study was undertaken to compare by Atomic Force Microscope the effects of various finishing and polishing instruments on surface roughness of filling and veneering composite resins. Seven composite resins were studied : Silux Plus (3M Dental Products, U.S.A.), Charisma (Heraeus Kulzer, Germany), Prisma THP (L.D.Caulk, Dentsply, U.S.A.), Photoclearfil (Kuraray, Japan), Cesead (Kuraray, Japan), Thermoresin LC (GC, Japan), Artglass (Heraeus Kulzer, Germany). Samples were placed and polymerized in holes (2mm thick and 8.5mm in diameter) machined in Teflon mold under glass plate, ensuring excess of material and moulded to shape with polyester matrix strip. Except control group (Polyester matrix strip), all experimental groups were finished and polishied under manufacturer's instructions. The finishing and polishing procedure were : carbide bur (E.T carbide set 4159, Komet, Germany), diamond bur (composite resin polishing bur set, GC, Japan), aluminum-oxide disc (Sof-Lex Pop-On, 3M Dental Products, U.S.A.), diamond-particle disc (Dia-Finish, Renfert Germany), white stone bur & rubber point( composite finishing kit, EDENTA, Swiss), respectively. Each specimens were evaluated for the surface roughness with Atomic Force Microscope (AutoProbe CP, Park Scientific Instruments, U.S.A.) under contact mode and constant height mode. The results as follows : 1. Except Thermoresin LC, all experimental composite resin groups showed more rougher than control group after finishing and polishing(p<0.1). 2. A surface as smooth as control group was obtained by $Al_{2}O_{3}$ disc all filling composite resin groups except Charisma and all veneering composite resin groups except Thermoresin LC(p<0.05). 3. In case of Thermoresin LC, there were no statistically significant differences before and after finishing and polishing(p>0.1). 4. Carbide bur, diamond bur showed rough surfaces in all composite resin groups, so these were inappropriate for the final polishing instruments.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.154-162
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• 2018

Objective: The fallopian tubes play a critical role in the early events of fertilization. The rapid innate immune defense is an important part of the fallopian tubes. Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), as a part of the innate immune system, plays an important role in detecting viral infections. In this basic and experimental study, the effect of sex hormones on the function of TLR3 in the OE-E6/E7 cell line was investigated. Methods: The functionality of TLR3 in this cell line was evaluated by cytokine measurements (interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-1b) and the effects of sex hormones on TLR3 were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Additionally, TLR3 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and a TLR3 function-blocking antibody were used to confirm our findings. Results: The production of IL-6 significantly increased in the presence of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) as the TLR3 ligand. Using a TLR3-siRNA-ransfected OE-E6/E7 cell line and function-blocking antibody confirmed that cytokine production was due to TLR3. In addition, 17-${\beta}$ estradiol and progesterone suppressed the production of IL-6 in the presence and absence of poly(I:C). Conclusion: These results imply that sex hormones exerted a suppressive effect on the function of TLR3 in the fallopian tube cell line when different concentrations of sex hormones were present. The current results also suggest that estrogen receptor beta and nuclear progesterone receptor B are likely to mediate the hormonal regulation of TLR3, as these two receptors are the main estrogen and progesterone receptors in OEE6/E7 cell line.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.28-41
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• 2024

Objective: Chronic scrotal hyperthermia (SHT) can lead to serious disorders of the male reproductive system, with oxidative stress playing a key role in the onset of these dysfunctions. Thus, we evaluated the impact of caffeine, a potent antioxidant, on cellular and tissue disorders in mice with chronic SHT. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male NMRI mice were allocated into seven equal groups. Apart from the non-treated control group, all were exposed to heat stress. Two groups, termed "preventive" and "curative," were orally administered caffeine. The preventive mice began receiving caffeine immediately prior to heat exposure, while for the curative group, a caffeine regimen was initiated 15 consecutive days following cessation of heat exposure. Each treated group was subdivided based on pairing with a positive control (Pre/ curative [Cur]+PC) or a vehicle (Pre/Cur+vehicle). Upon conclusion of the study, we assessed sperm characteristics, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, apoptosis, antioxidant and oxidant levels, and molecular markers. Results: Sperm parameters, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, biochemical factors (excluding malondialdehyde [MDA]), and c-kit gene expression were significantly elevated in the preventive and curative groups, especially the former, relative to the other groups. Conversely, expression levels of the heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κβ) genes, MDA levels, and apoptotic cell density were markedly lower in both caffeine-treated groups relative to the other groups, with more pronounced differences observed in the preventive group. Conclusion: Overall, caffeine attenuated cellular and molecular abnormalities induced by heat stress in the testis, particularly in the mice treated under the preventive condition.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.28 no.1 s.66
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• pp.51-59
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of gargling solution with 0.05% NaF and 10% Xylitol in orthodontic patients with fixed appliance. The sample consisted of 30 adolescent patients who were classified into an experimental group and a control group, 15 patients each. Experimental group was used experimental gargling solution and the control group was used with placebo solution. The change of S. mutans in saliva was observed by $Cariescreen^R$ SM kit at pre and post 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks. The results were as follows 1. There were significant reduction in the number of S. mutans in saliva between pre and post 2 weeks(p<0.01), 4 weeks(p<0.05), 6 weeks(p<0.001), and 8 weeks(p<0.001) in experimental group. And significant reduction also were observed in the number of S. mutans in saliva between post 2 weeks, 6 weeks(p<0.05), and 8 weeks(p<0.05), but no significant reduction were showed in control group. 2. There were significant correlation in the number of S. mutans between each measurement time(pre and post 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks) in control group. 3. There were no correlation between pre and post 2 weeks, but significant correlation were observed between 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks in experimental group.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.128-137
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• 2020

Over the last 30 years, the use of chairside computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems has evolved and has become increasingly popular in dentistry. Although CAD/CAM restorations have been used in the anterior dentition, satisfying the esthetic requirements of clinicians and patients, where the restorations are limited to the chairside, remains a challenge. To reproduce multi-shades of CAD/CAM restorations in the clinic, a preliminary experiment to express several shades on A2 lithium disilicate (LS2) blocks using a staining kit was performed. After measurement of the CIE L^*a^*b^* value of specimens, it was compared with that of the commercial shade guide. This report presents two cases with individual customization of shade and surface characterization of the CAD/CAM restorations using predictable methods based on the preliminary experimental data. The anatomical shape of restoration was obtained from 'copy and paste technique' and 'mirror image acquisition technique'. All treatment procedures and fabrication of restorations performed in this report were executed in the clinic itself.