• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.375-381
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• 2008

Objective : The effects on neural proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSC) of basic fibroblast growth factor-2 (bFGF). insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I). brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). and nerve growth factor (NGF) were assessed. Also, following combinations of various factors were investigated : bFGF+IGF-I, bFGF+BDNF, bFGF+NGF, IGF-I+BDNF, IGF-I+NGF, and BDNF+NGF. Methods : Isolated NSC of Fisher 344 rats were cultured with individual growth factors, combinations of factors, and no growth factor (control) for 14 days. A proportion of neurons was analyzed using $\beta$-tubulin III and NeuN as neural markers. Results : Neural differentiations in the presence of individual growth factors for $\beta$-tubulin III-positive cells were : BDNF, 35.3%; IGF-I, 30.9%; bFGF, 18.1%; and NGF, 15.1%, and for NeuN-positive cells was : BDNF, 34.3%; bFGF, 32.2%; IGF-I, 26.6%; and NGF, 24.9%. However, neural differentiations in the absence of growth factor was only 2.6% for $\beta$-tubulin III and 3.1% for NeuN. For $\beta$-tubulin III-positive cells, neural differentiations were evident for the growth factor combinations as follows : bFGF+IGF-I, 73.1 %; bFGF+NGF, 65.4%; bFGF+BDNF, 58.7%; BDNF+IGF-I, 52.2%; NGF+IGF-I, 40.6%; and BDNF+NGF, 40.0%. For NeuN-positive cells : bFGF+IGF-I, 81.9%; bFGF+NGF, 63.5%; bFGF+BDNF, 62.8%; NGF+IGF-I, 62.3%; BDNF+NGF, 56.3%; and BDNF+IGF-I, 46.0%. Significant differences in neural differentiation were evident for single growth factor and combination of growth factors respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion : Combinations of growth factors have an additive effect on neural differentiation. The most prominent neural differentiation results from growth factor combinations involving bFGF and IGF-I. These findings suggest that the combination of a mitogenic action of bFGF and post-mitotic differentiation action of IGF-I synergistically affects neural proliferation and NSC differentiation.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 1997

This study was designed to determine anxiety factors and levels of anxiety of foreign industrial workers. One hundred and seventy five workers were researched who were working in Guro Working Complex, Ansan City and Sungnam City Working Complex asking 60 questionnaires from Feb. 25, 1996 to April 12, 1996. The results were as follows ; 1. The 30.3% of foreign workers were from Nepal, 17.7% from Bangladesh, 10.9% from SriLanka, 14. 9% from Philippines, 1.1% from Ghana. 80% of foreign workers were male, 11.1% were single and most of them were in the age from 25 to 34. 37.1% of foreign workers had not lived in Korea less than 12 months, 58.8% graduated from college, 33.7% from high school, and more than half lived in a dormitory. 2. On the anxiety level related to subject workers' general characteristics, the anxiety level from Nepal recorded the highest point 2.70 statistically showing a significant difference(p=0.0003). On the physical anxiety level, the workers from Nepal recorded a significantly low point comparing with Jamaica, Burma, Vietnam and Nigeria(p=0.01). 3. Emotional anxiety level marked the highest on the workers living as a tenant comparing with the workers in dormitory. 4. On anxiety factors, the emotional anxiety recoded the highest, the social anxiety and the somatic anxiety. 5. On the relation between the anxiety factor, the somatic anxiety factor had a relation with emotional, environmental, and occupational factors and on the other relation between the anxiety factor and emotional factor had a relation with environmental, social, cultural factors. Moreover, the environmental factor had a relation with the cultural factor, social factor had a relation with the cultural factor, and cultural factor was related to the occupational factor.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.212-220
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• 1999

This study was designed to determine anxiety factors and levels of anxiety of foreign industrial workers. One hundred and seventy five workers were researched who were working in Guro Working Complex, Ansan City and Sungnam City Working Complex asking 60 questionnaires from Feb. 25, 1996 to April 12, 1996. The results were as follows ; 1. The 30.3% of foreign workers were from Nepal. 17.7% from Bangladesh 10.9% from Srilanka, 14.9% from Philippines, 1.1% from Ghana. 80% of foreign workers were male, 77.7% were single and most of then were in the age from 25 to 34. 37.1% of foreign workers had not lived in Korea less than 12 months, 58.8% graduated from college, 33.7% from highschool, and more than half lived in a dormitory. 2. On the anxiety level related to subject workers' general characteristics, the workers level from Nepal recorded the highest point 2.70 statistically showing a significant difference(P=0.0003). On the physical anxiety level, the workers from Nepal recorded a significantly low point comparing with Jamaica, Burma, Vietnam and Nigeria(P=0.01). 3. Emotional anxiety level marked the highest on the workers living as a tenant comparing with the workers in dormitory. 4. On anxiety factors, the emotional anxiety recoded the highest, the social anxiety and the somatic anxiety. 5. On the relation between the anxiety factor, the somatic anxiety factor had a relation with emotional, environmental, and occupational factors and on the other relation between the anxiety factor and emotional factor had a relation with environmental, social, cultural factors. Moreover, the environmental factor had a relation with the cultural factor, social factor had a relation with the cultural factor, and cultural factor was related to the occupational factor.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.177-188
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a scale for measuring digital literacy by identifying the factors consisting of digital literacy and extracting items for each factor. Preliminary items for the Delphi study were developed through the analysis of previous literature and the deliberation of the research team. As a result of two rounds of the expert Delphi study, 65 items were selected for the main survey. The validation of the items was carried out in the process of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, reliability test, and criterion validity test using the data collected in the main survey. As a result, a 4-factor structure composed of 31 questions(factor 1: digital technology & data literacy- 9 questions, factor 2: digital content & media literacy- 8 questions, factor 3: digital communication & community literacy- 9 questions, factor 4: digital wellness literacy - 5 questions) was confirmed. Also, the goodness of fit indices of the model were found to be good and the result of reliability test revealed the scale had a very appropriate level of Cronbach's alpha(α=.956). In addition, a statistically significantly positive correlations(p<.001) were found between digital literacy and internet self-efficacy and between digital literacy and self-directed learning ability, which were predicted in the existing evidence, therefore the criterion validity of the developed scale was secured. Finally, practical and academic implications of the study are provided and future study and limitations of the study are discussed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2503-2509
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• 2012

Considerable research has been conducted concerning galectin-9 and carcinomas, but little information is available about any relation with the hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we employed a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting galectin-9 to down-regulate the expression in HepG2 cells. As a result, after galectin-9 expression was reduced, cell aggregation was suppressed, while other behaviour such as the proliferation, adhesion and invasion to ECM, cell-endothelial adhesion and transendothelial invasion of the cells were markedly enhanced. When tumors of 200 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were tested for galectin-9 expression by immunohistochemistry, binding levels demonstrated intimate correlations with the histopathologic grade, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion and intrahepatic metastasis (P<0.05). Moreover, survival analysis indicated that patients with galectin-9 expression had much longer survival time than those with negative lesions, and the Log-rank test indicated that this difference was statistical significant (P<0.0001). The Cox proportional hazards model suggested that negative galectin-9 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma represented a significant risk factor for patient survival. We propose that galectin-9 might be a new prognostic factor with antimetastatic potential in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.931-941
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between depression and poor oral health in Korean elderly using Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for assessment of depressive symptoms. Methods: This study used the data from Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI-2). The study included 1,454 elderly Korean aged over 65. Variables included demographic characteristics (gender, age), socioeconomic factor (income, education), systemic diseases, oral health related factor (tooth brush, dental products), health related factor (alcohol drinking, smoking), and depression. Logistic regression analysis was used as sequential models. Effects were quantified as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: From frequency analysis, being female, primary school or less, non-alcohol drinking, poor oral health were significantly related to depression. In the multiple logistic regression model, depression was significantly associated with poor oral health (OR=1.96, CI=1.15-3.53) after adjustment for other covariates including demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factor, systemic diseases, oral health related factor, and health related factor (OR=1.91, CI=1.13-3.27). Conclusions: Depression had an influence on the poor oral health after adjustment as confounding variable in the elderly. It should be focused on the health promotion for the elderly vulnerable to depression and poor oral health. The development of the mental health and oral health should be established.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2016

Purpose: We investigated whether serum levels of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are valuable in predicting clinical outcomes or are correlated with other laboratory findings in children with Henoch-$Sch{\ddot{o}}nlein$ purpura (HSP). Methods: We examined 27 children who were consecutively admitted to our hospital with HSP between January 2011 and February 2012. Blood tests (C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, platelet count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, albumin, immunoglobulin A, complement C3, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, IGF-1, IGFBP-3) and urine tests were performed upon admission. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were resampled in the recovery phase. Controls included 473 children whose IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were sampled for evaluating their growth, at the outpatient department of pediatric endocrinology in our hospital. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were compared between the HSP children and controls, and between the acute and recovery phases in HSP children. The ability of these values to predict clinical outcomes including renal involvement was analyzed using bivariate logistic regression analysis (BLRA). Results: IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were not different between the HSP children and controls ($148.7{\pm}117.6$ vs. $69.2{\pm}96.9$, P=0.290: $3465.9{\pm}1290.9$ vs. $3597.2{\pm}1,127.6$, P=0.560, respectively). There was no significant difference in IGF-1 or IGFBP-3 between acute and recovery phases. Based on the BLRA, no variable, including IGF-1 and IGFBP-3, could predict clinical outcomes including the presence of nephritis Conclusion: We concluded that IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 do not predict clinical outcomes of HSP, including renal involvement, in this study.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.72-83
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• 2023

Background: Globally, spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a big burden, including 90% suffering permanent disability, and 60%-69% experiencing neuropathic pain. The main causes are oxidative stress, inflammation, and degeneration. The efficacy of the stem cell secretome is promising, but the role of human neural stem cell (HNSC)-secretome in neuropathic pain is unclear. This study evaluated how the mechanism of HNSC-secretome improves neuropathic pain and locomotor function in SCI rat models through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-matrix degradation, and neurotrophic activities. Methods: A proper experimental study investigated 15 Rattus norvegicus divided into normal, control, and treatment groups (30 µL HNSC-secretome, intrathecal in the level of T10, three days post-traumatic SCI). Twenty-eight days post-injury, specimens were collected, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, F2-Isoprostanes, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were analyzed. Locomotor recovery was evaluated via Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores. Neuropathic pain was evaluated using the Rat Grimace Scale. Results: The HNSC-secretome could improve locomotor recovery and neuropathic pain, decrease F2-Isoprostane (antioxidant), decrease MMP-9 and TNF-α (anti-inflammatory), as well as modulate TGF-β and BDNF (neurotrophic factor). Moreover, HNSC-secretomes maintain the extracellular matrix of SCI by reducing the matrix degradation effect of MMP-9 and increasing the collagen formation effect of TGF-β as a resistor of glial scar formation. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the mechanism of HNSC-secretome in improving neuropathic pain and locomotor function in SCI through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-matrix degradation, and neurotrophic activities.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2004

Background: LIGHT (TNFSF14) is a member of tumor necrosis factor superfamily and is the ligand for TR2 (TNFRSF14/HVEM). LIGHT is known to have proinflammatory roles in atherosclerosis. Methods: To find out the expression pattern of LIGHT in atherosclerotic plaques, immunohistochemical analysis was performed on human carotid atherosclerotic plaque specimens. LIGHT induced atherogenic events using human monocytic cell line THP-1 were also investigated. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed expression of LIGHT and TR2 in foam cell rich regions in the atherosclerotic plaques. Double immunohistochemical analysis further confirmed the expression of LIGHT in foam cells. Stimulation of THP-1 cells, which express TR2, with either recombinant LIGHT or immobilized anti-TR2 monoclonal antibody induced interleukin-8 and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-9. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that LIGHT induces nuclear localization of transcription factor, nuclear factor $(NF)-{\kappa}B$. LIGHT induced activation of MMP-9 is mediated by $NF-{\kappa}B$, since treatment of THP-1 cells with the $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor PDTC (pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate) completely blocked the activation of MMP-9. Conclusion: These data indicate that LIGHT is expressed in foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques and is involved in atherogenesis through activation of pro-atherogenic cytokine IL-8 and destabilization of plaque by inducing matrix degrading enzyme.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.406-410
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• 1996

The adsorption behaviors of transition metal ions on the poly(N,N'-bispalmitoyl-1, 12-diaza-3, 4;9,10-dibenzo-5,8-cyclopentadecane) has been determined by adsorption process in aqueous solution. The order of concentration factor(CF) and the amount of adsorption were Cu(II)