• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1998 no.11
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• pp.289-290
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• 1998

Purpose To investigate the difference of total activation in visual area, motor area, and cerebellum according to the stimulation paradigm. Materials and Methods Functional MR imaging was performed in 5 healthy volunteers with visual and motor activity using EPI technique. LED and Checker-Board stimulation were performed for visual activity. Thumb motion and Finger tapping were performed for motor and cerebellum activity. Time course data was obtained by calculating the total activation which was defined as the number of activated pixels x averaged pixel intensity. Results In the case of visual activity with LED stimulation, we found increased total activity of more than 100% compared with Checker-Board stimulation. In the case of motor area and cerebellum with Finger tapping stimulation, we found increased total activity of more than 100% and 150%, respectively compared with Thumb motion stimulation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.362-364
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• 2000

Opuntia ficus-indca(Op) extract has been claimed to have several therapeutic properties in oriental medicine including anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatoid arthritis effects. Little is known of its effect on the activation of immune cells such as T cells and macrophages. To evaluate the functional effect of Op extract on immune cells, we examined whether Op extract stimulates the proliferation of T cells and the secretion of cytokines including IL-1 beta, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in THP-1 cell lines by RT-PCR. Op extract significantly enhanced the proliferation of T cell clone(D10S). Transcription of cytokines including IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha peaked 6 hrs after exposure to Op extract(100g/ml) in the THP-1 cell line and declined and declined thereafter. In an experiment to test the dose dependency of transcription of cytokines, transcription increased at a dose of 10 g/ml and the maximum expression was obtained at 100 g/ml, 6 hrs after exposure to Op extract. These findings suggest that Op extract is a potent stimulant of immune cells including T cells and macrophages, which acts by stimulating T cell proliferation and upregulating cytokines. These phenomena imply that some edible plants may be beneficial to living animals through the activation of immune functions.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.119-123
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• 2016

Acetylcholine receptors (AChR) including muscarinic and nicotinic AChR are widely expressed and mediate a variety of physiological cellular responses in neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Notably, a functional cholinergic system exists in oral epithelial cells, and nicotinic AChR (nAChR) mediates cholinergic anti-inflammatory responses. However, the pathophysiological roles of AChR in periodontitis are unclear. Here, we show that activation of AChR elicits increased cytosolic $Ca^{2+}([Ca^{2+}]_i)$, transient cytotoxicity, and induction of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) expression. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization in human gingival fibroblast-1 (hGF-1) cells was measured using the fluorescent $Ca^{2+}$ indicator, fura-2/AM. Cytotoxicity and induction of gene expression were evaluated by measuring the release of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and RT-PCR. Activation of AChR in hGF-1 cells by carbachol (Cch) induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with a high concentration of Cch on hGF-1 cells caused transient cytotoxicity. Notably, treatment of hGF-1 cells with Cch resulted in upregulated RANKL expression. The findings may indicate potential roles of AChR in gingival fibroblast cells in bone remodeling.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.426-432
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• 2013

The mechanisms concerning C-Cl activation of $CCl_4$ by $CHBr^{{\cdot}-}$ and $CBr{_2}^{{\cdot}-}$ have been comparatively investigated in theory. Optimized geometries and frequencies of all stationary points on PES are obtained at the BhandHLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, and then the energy profiles are refined at the QCISD(T) method with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis by using the BhandHLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ optimized geometries. Our calculated findings suggest that in the title reactions the major mechanisms consist of both Cl-abstraction and $S_N2$ substitution reactions. Also, a succeeding pathway described by electron transfer was revealed before the initial Cl-abstraction products separate. Those are consistent with relevant experimental results.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1378-1385
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• 2001

Textile The purpose of this research is to develop the design for activation of women s hanbok focused on functionality and convenience as well as on keeping the traditional beauty, and then to produce them. As a result of these explorations, I have reached conclusions as follows. first, the transformation of jackets and skirts are mainly limited to partial change in elements of the dress design-width and length of a jacket string and the upper strip on the outside of a jacket, change in width, and granting of symbolic meaning. Second, aesthetic features and formative beauty of traditional hanbok that the harmonization of mainstream colors and highlighting colors and curved silhouettes evoke were mental by products created as our people wished to become friendly to and to harmonize with nature. Third, grounded upon study of lines form and survey on brands, I have developed designs that maintain hanbok’superiority and at the same time incorporate functionality and convenience to fit modern life. I believe that the outcome of these of these explorations will contribute greatly to carrying the traditional beauty of Korean dresses to the maximun, and to developing and popularizing functional and practical living-fitted Korean dresses.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.225-234
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• 2018

Adenosine is a naturally occurring breakdown product of adenosine triphosphate and plays an important role in different physiological and pathological conditions. Adenosine also serves as an important trigger in ischemic and remote preconditioning and its release may impart cardioprotection. Exogenous administration of adenosine in the form of adenosine preconditioning may also protect heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. Endogenous release of adenosine during ischemic/remote preconditioning or exogenous adenosine during pharmacological preconditioning activates adenosine receptors to activate plethora of mechanisms, which either independently or in association with one another may confer cardioprotection during ischemia-reperfusion injury. These mechanisms include activation of $K_{ATP}$ channels, an increase in the levels of antioxidant enzymes, functional interaction with opioid receptors; increase in nitric oxide production; decrease in inflammation; activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels; activation of kinases such as protein kinase B (Akt), protein kinase C, tyrosine kinase, mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases such as ERK 1/2, p38 MAP kinases and MAP kinase kinase (MEK 1) MMP. The present review discusses the role and mechanisms involved in adenosine preconditioning-induced cardioprotection.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.89-89
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• 2022

Paeonia lactiflora (P. lactiflora) is a medicinal plant widely used for treating inflammatory diseases. However, P. lactiflora has been recently reported to increase the production of proinflammatory mediators and activates phagocytosis in macrophages. Thus, in this study, we tried to verify the macrophage activation of Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRR, also known as red peony root) and elucidate its mechanism of action. PRR upregulated the production of proinflammatory mediators and activated phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. However, these effects were reversed by inhibition of TLR2/4. In addition, the inhibition of p38, JNK, and ERK1/2 reduced the PRR-mediated production of proinflammatory mediators, and the SPL-mediated activation of p38, JNK, and ERK1/2 was blocked by the TLR4 inhibition. These findings indicate that PRR may activate macrophages through TLR4-dependent activation of p38, JNK, and ERK1/2. These indicate that PRR has immunostimulatory activity. Thus, it is believed that PRR can be used as a functional food agent that enhances the immune system.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 2023

In this study, we investigated the immunological properties of six strains of Acetobacter pasteurianus through nuclear factor-kappa B/activator protein-1 (NF-κB/AP-1) transcription factor activation and nitric oxide (NO) and cytokine production in macrophages. We found that the six A. pasteurianus strains had no significant inhibitory effect on the cell viability of RAW-Blue^TM cells at the concentration of (25, 50, 100 CFU/macrophage). The production of NO and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) showed different abilities of immune activation for each strain, and it was 0.7 to 0.9 times higher than that of the LPS (100 ng/mL, v/v) positive control and 7 to 8 times superior to that of the negative control group. To explore the underlying mechanism, we evaluated the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Consequently, we found that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression including genes expression of cytokines were elevated by the six A. pasteurianus treatment. These results suggested that the six strains of A. pasteurianus have an excellent industrial application value as a functional material for the purpose of enhancing immune function.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.168-176
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• 2013

In the last few years major progress has been made in better understanding the role of natural killer (NK) cells in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This includes multiple pathways by which HCV impairs or limits NK cells activation. Based on current genetic and functional data, a picture is emerging where only a rapid and strong NK cell response early on during infection which results in strong T cell responses and possible subsequent clearance, whereas chronic HCV infection is associated with dysfunctional or biased NK cells phenotypes. The hallmark of this NK cell dysfunction is persistent activation promoting ongoing hepatitis and hepatocyte damage, while being unable to clear HCV due to impaired IFN-${\gamma}$ responses. Furthermore, some data suggests certain chronically activated subsets that are $NKp46^{high}$ may be particularly active against hepatic stellate cells, a key player in hepatic fibrogenesis. Finally, the role of NK cells during HCV therapy, HCV recurrence after liver transplant and hepatocellular carcinoma are discussed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1990

This experiment was carried out under the postulation that activation of an intracellular calcium-calmodulin complex may play an important role in myocardial injury induced by ischemia and reperfusion. Trifluoperazine[TFP], a calmodulin antagonist, was added to the potassium cardioplegic solution and used just before ischemia, and its protective effect from ischemic injury was investigated, using Langendorff rat heart model. TFP group had better post-ischemic functional recovery and lower post-ischemic contracture after 30 minutes of normothermic ischemia. Creatine kinase leakage was also decreased in TFP group but there was no statistical difference between control group and TFP group. We concluded that TFP has some protective effect from myocardial ischemic injury and its effect might be due to prevention of activation of intracellular calcium-calmodulin complex.