• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2019

Despite increased evidence of bio-activity following far-infrared (FIR) radiation, susceptibility of cell signaling to FIR radiation-induced homeostasis is poorly understood. To observe the effects of FIR radiation, FIR-radiated materials-coated fabric was put on experimental rats or applied to L6 cells, and microarray analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and wound healing assays were performed. Microarray analysis revealed that messenger RNA expressions of rat muscle were stimulated by FIR radiation in a dose-dependent manner in amount of 10% and 30% materials-coated. In 30% group, 1,473 differentially expressed genes were identified (fold change [FC] > 1.5), and 218 genes were significantly regulated (FC > 1.5 and p < 0.05). Microarray analysis showed that extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and cell migration-related pathways were significantly stimulated in rat muscle. ECM and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-mediated cell migration-related genes were increased. And, results showed that the relative gene expression of actin beta was increased. FIR radiation also stimulated actin subunit and actin-related genes. We observed that wound healing was certainly promoted by FIR radiation over 48 h in L6 cells. Therefore, we suggest that FIR radiation can penetrate the body and stimulate PDGF-mediated cell migration through ECM-integrin signaling in rats.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.163-172
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• 2004

Mast cells (MCs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of tissue fibrosis. However, the role of MC in the development of liver fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. Stem cell factor (SCF) is known to recruit MCs to the liver following injury as it induces mast cell proliferation, survival and differentiation from resident tissue precursors. This study examines the interaction between activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and MCs in rat fibrotic liver, and SCF production by HSCs during culture in vitro. Rats were studied 4, 7, 14 and 21 days after bile duct ligation (BDL). Fibrogenesis was assessed by a measurement of collagen stained with sirius red F3B. Activated HSCs and MCs were identified by ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}-SMA$) immunohistochemical and alcian blue staining and measured by a computerized image analysis system. SCF production was determined in rat HSC cultures using Western blotting. Mild fibrotic changes were noted in BDL rat livers as early as 4 days after induction of cholestasis. Significant expansion and organization of fibrous tissue has occurred in day 14 BDL rats which progressed to bridging fibrosis by day 21. In BDL rats, both a large number of activated HSCs and MCs were detected in portal tracts and fibrous septa. Both area of activated HSCs infiltration and density of MCs were significantly higher in all BDL group compared with Shams. In BDL rats, both areas of activated HSCs infiltration and density of MCs were no significant difference between day 4 and 7 and were significantly higher in day 14. However, the areas of activated HSCs infiltration were significantly lesser in day 21 and the densities of MCs were significantly higher in day 21 compared with day14 BDL. In BDL rats, both areas of activated HSCs infiltration and density of MCs were highly correlated with areas of fibrosis. Western blotting showed that SCF protein was consistently produced in activated HSCs by culture on plastic and freshly isolated HSCs expressed relatively little 30kD SCF compared to late primary culture activated HSCs (day 14) and passaged HSCs. These results suggest that HSCs activated in vitro produce SCF, and may play an important role in recruiting mast cells to the liver during injury and fibrosis.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.190-200
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• 2002

Purpose; The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure sexual satisfaction in Korean adults. Method: Development of items for the instrument was done by a collecting, reorganizing, reducing and selecting process based on the literature. A total of 19 items were selected in this process. For evaluation of the appropriateness of the 19 items, questionnaires were given to an expert group consisting of 18 professionals (7 men and 11 women). Eighteen items having a response of 70% in 'very good' item or 'good' item were included as items for the instrument. With these 18 items, a 5 point Likert scale was developed, and reliability and validity tests of the scale were done. The subjects for the test were 1,127 Korean adults living in 11 areas in Korea, Data were collected from Dec. 1, 2000 to Feb. 28, 2001 and analyzed with SPSS/PC+ 10.0 program. Item analysis and factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the scale. Chronbach alpha and corrected item-total correlation were obtained to verify internal consistency, and principal component analysis with the varimax rotation was used to identify structure validity of the developed tool. Result: Reliability of the scale was .9503 and corrected item-total correlations of the items were distributed from .5208 to 7899. As a result of the factor analysis, the items were categorized into three factors. The cumulative variance of the three factors was 67.1%, and all of the variances of the factors were above 5%. Because factor 1 (8 items) indicated a special feeling of psychological satisfaction with sexual activity, it was named 'psychological factor'. Factor 2 (8 items) indicated a feeling of satisfaction in the interaction with sexual partner through communication and variation, therefore it was named 'interactional factor'. Factor 3 (2 items) was about the frequency and duration of sexual intercourse and indicated physical dimensions of satisfaction, so it was named 'physical factor'. The average score for sexual satisfaction of the 1,127 subjects was 65.32 (${\pm}12.71$), and histogram of the score showed a normal distribution with skewness - .425. Conclusion: Finally, a Korean Sexual Satisfaction Scale(KSSS) was accepted as a 5 point Likert scale with 18 items after the statistical test for reliability and validity. In conclusion, KSSS is a useful instrument which is valid and reliable can be used to understand the sexuality of Korean adults.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.103-127
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• 2007

This study presents the political economics models to explore the political landscape of special interest groups influencing the government's decision making process for implementing international environmental standard. Starting with the popular menu-auction types of lobbying frameworks in the literature, the study extends its scope of research to multi-principal and multi-agency based international interest group politics and its hybrid case in order to bring the interaction of the relevant interest politics to the fore. Within a specific factor model of international trade between 2 small open economies, we compare the political equilibrium environmental standards in different institutional frameworks which can be feasible in the sense of recently growing role of environmental interest group. Although the conventional finding suggests that cooperative bargaining between the two countries can attain the globally optimal level of the standard, the paper rather explains that the cooperation between the national interest groups and the hybrid case also generate the stricter standard then national interest politics usually do.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.223-232
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• 2016

Purpose: We investigated the potential interaction between the G-protein beta-3 subunit gene (GNB3) C825T polymorphism, a risk factor for chronic disease in various ethnicities, and obesogenic environments in overweight/obese Korean children. Methods: The present study was conducted as a cross-sectional study using measures of anthropometry, blood pressure (BP), and fasting blood samples as well as 3-day food records. Subjects were recruited from seven elementary schools in an urban district in Seoul, South Korea, between 2007 and 2008. A total of 1,260 children aged 8-9 years were recruited in the study, including 633 boys (50.3%) and 627 girls (49.7%). Results: The allele frequencies of the GNB3 polymorphism were C allele = 49.7% and T allele = 50.3% in subjects. In general, boys with T allele had higher BMI, systolic BP (SBP), and triglycerides, although their energy intake was not significantly different from boys with C allele. In contrast to boys, girls with T allele had lower BMI but higher SBP and energy intake than those with C allele. The girls with T allele had a significantly lower BMI and waist circumference in both the normal weight group and obese group (OB). T allele carriers in both genders had significantly higher TC than C allele carriers in the OB group. At last, girls with T allele in OB appeared to have significantly lower HOMA-IR than those with C allele. Conclusion: Unlike higher risk for negative health outcomes by the GNB3 polymorphism in various ethnicities, GNB3 polymorphism did not influence obesogenic environments in overweight/obese Korean children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship between the daily physical activity level and fall-proof-related fitness in older female adults. METHODS: This study promoted and sampled the subjects who participated in the study for 2 weeks, and developed a basic information questionnaire to select the subjects to be excluded from the research. The amount of energy expenditure through daily physical activity was examined, and the elderly physical fitness, and balance test were analyzed. The subjects were divided into group A (${\geq}1,500kcal/week$), group B (<$1,500-{\geq}1,000kcal/week$), and group C (<1,000 kcal/week) according to their daily physical activity level. RESULTS: A significant difference in the daily physical activity level (energy expenditure), Chair Stand Test (lower body strength), 8-Foot Up-and Go Test (dynamic balance), and CTSIB-M (modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction in Balance) was observed among groups A, B, and C (p<.5), but there was no significant difference in the Chair Sit-and-Reach Test (lower body flexibility) (p>.5). CONCLUSION: The increase in physical activity is an essential factor for preventing falls and it provides many health benefits for the elderly. On the other hand, considering that elderly people cannot access exercise programs easily in Korea, it can be predicted that increasing elderly people's physical activity in daily life rather than specific exercises may help prevent falls.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.105-114
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• 1998

The objectives of this study were to classify the contents of clothing image preferences, and to examine how clothing image preferences vary according to extroversion-introversion, gender, and age. Subjects for the study were 627 men and women ranging in ages from teens to forties in Kwangju City, Korea. The results of the study were as follows; 1) Four factors of clothing image preference derived by factor analysis : F. 1 'peculiar image' ; F. 2 'noble image' ; F. 3 'bright image' ; F. 4 'sprightly imagel'. 2) The interaction between extroversion-introversion groups and gender groups was significant for sprigtly images. The men of extroversion group tended to prefer gentle images, while the women of extroversion group preferred sprightly images. 3) The women liked sprightly images more than the men, the liked gentle images more. Women in their 20's liked sprightly image most, but as they grew older they tended to prefer gentle images. 4) The extroversion groups liked peculiar images more than the introversion groups. Teens liked peculiar image more than the others, subjects in their 30's and 40's preferred commonplace images. 5) The extroversion groups liked noble images more than the introversion groups. Women in their 30's and 40's liked popular images more than female subjects in their teens and twenties. Women in their teens and twenties liked popular images more than did the men in the same age group. 6) The extroversion groups liked bright images more than the introversion groups. Men in their teens and 20's liked bright images more than did men in their 30's and 40's. This finding suggests that women liked sprightly and noble clothing images, and men liked commonplace and gentle images. As they grew older, they tended to like commonplace, popular, and gentle clothing images. The extroversion groups liked peculiar, noble, and bright images more than did the introversion groups. The results of this study mean that personality traits such as extroversion-introversion are characteristics that affect clothing preferences, and it is possible to infer people's personality by their attire.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.47-59
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• 2006

We previously found that cobrotoxin inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity by reacting with signal molecules of $NF-{\kappa}B$ which is critical contributor in cancer cell growth by induction of apoptotic cell death. We here investigated whether cobrotoxin inhibits cell growth of human prostate cancer cells through induction of apoptotic cell death, which is related with the suppression of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity. Cobrotoxin $(0{\sim}8\;nM)$ inhibited prostate cancer cell growth through increased apoptosis in a dose dependent manner. Cobrotoxin inhibited DNA binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$, an anti-apoptotic transcriptional factor. Consistent with the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$, cobrotoxin increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins caspase 3. Cobrotoxin, a venom of Vipera lebetina turanica, is a group of basicpeptides composed of 233 amino acids with six disulfide bonds formed by twelve cysteins. NF-kB is activated by subsequent release of inhibitory IkB and translocation of p50. Since sulfhydryl group is present in kinase domain of p50 subunit of NF-kB, cobrotoxin could modify NF-kB activity by protein-protein interaction. And Cobrotoxin down regulated Akt signals. Salicylic acid as a reducing agent of Sulf-hydryl group and LY294002 as a Akt inhibitor abrogated cobrotoxin-induced cell growth and DNA binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$. These findings suggest that nano to pico molar range of cobrotoxin could inhibit prostate cancer cell growth, and the effect may be related with the induction of apoptotic cell death through Akt dependent inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ signal.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.205-213
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• 2009

This study reports on the geometry optimizations and electronic structure calculations for methyl pyropheophorbide (MPPa), tropolonyl methyl pyropheophorbides (TMPPa, ITMPPa), and cationic tropolonyl methyl pyropheophorbides ($TMPPa^+{{\cdot}BF_4}^-,\;ITMPPa^+{{\cdot}BF_4}^-,\;TMPPa^+,\;and\;ITMPPa^+$) using Local Spin Density Approximation (LSDA/ 6-31G*) and the Restricted Hatree-Fock (RHF/6-31G*) level theory. From the calculated results, we found that substituted cationic tropolonyl groups have larger structural effects than those of substituted neutral tropolonyl groups. The order of structural change effects is $ITMPPa^+ > ITMPPa^+{{\cdot}BF_4}^-$ > ITMPPa, as a result of the isopropyl group. Because it is an electron-releasing group, the substituted isopropyl group electronic effect on a 3-position tropolone increases the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital and Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO-LUMO) energy gap. It was constituted that the larger the cationic characters of these photosensitizers, the smaller the HOMOLUMO band gaps are. The orbital energies of the cationic systems and the ions are stronger than those of a neutral system because of a strong electrostatic interaction. However, this stabilization of orbital energies are counteracted by the distortion of chlorin macrocycle, which results in a large destabilization of chlorin-based compound HOMOs and smaller destabilization of LUMOs as shown in TMPPa (ITMPPa), $TMPPa^+{{\cdot}BF_4}^- (ITMPPa^+{{\cdot}BF_4}^-),\;and\;TMPPa^+\;(ITMPPa^+)$ of Figure 6 and Table 6-7. These results are in reasonable agreement with normal-coordinate structural decomposition (NSD) results. The HOMO-LUMO gap is an important factor to consider in the development of photodynamic therapy (PDT).

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.254-265
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of anatomical conditions on primary stability in the models simulating posterior maxilla. Methods: Polyurethane blocks were designed to simulate monocortical (M) and bicortical (B) conditions. Each condition had four subgroups measuring 3 mm (M3, B3), 5 mm (M5, B5), 8 mm (M8, B8), and 12 mm (M12, B12) in residual bone height (RBH). After implant placement, the implant stability quotient (ISQ), Periotest value (PTV), insertion torque (IT), and reverse torque (RT) were measured. Two-factor ANOVA (two cortical conditions${\times}$four RBHs) and additional analyses for simple main effects were performed. Results: A significant interaction between cortical condition and RBH was demonstrated for all methods measuring stability with two-factor ANOVA. In the analyses for simple main effects, ISQ and PTV were statistically higher in the bicortical groups than the corresponding monocortical groups, respectively. In the monocortical group, ISQ and PTV showed a statistically significant rise with increasing RBH. Measurements of IT and RT showed a similar tendency, measuring highest in the M3 group, followed by the M8, the M5, and the M12 groups. In the bicortical group, all variables showed a similar tendency, with different degrees of rise and decline. The B8 group showed the highest values, followed by the B12, the B5, and the B3 groups. The highest coefficient was demonstrated between ISQ and PTV. Conclusions: Primary stability was enhanced by the presence of bicortex and increased RBH, which may be better demonstrated by ISQ and PTV than by IT and RT.