• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.97-109
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• 2008

Atopic dermatitis is the fastest growing skin disorder among children from infancy to adolescence in Korea. The side-effects of atopic dermatitis not only include physical discomfort, but also psychological trauma which ultimately affects the developmental growth of children. This study was conducted in order to investigate the behavioral characteristics of an atopic dermatitis sufferer. As part of this research, the relative influence of behavioral problems and, self-perceived competence were analyzed in relation to the social competence of an atopic child. In total, 301 atopic and non-atopic children, between 2 and 6 years of age, and their mothers and teachers participated in the study. From this number, 109 children had atopic dermatitis, while 192 children did not. Mothers were asked to complete a parent-report questionnaire that required information on parental stress, according to the scale parenting methodology of Abbdin(1990) and Cho(1999). Teachers were subjected to teacher-report questionnaires which included topics on social competence, socia-emotional assessment and behavioral problems of an atopic child. Furthermore, children also completed questionnaires on self-perceived competence. According to analysis on K-CBCL, ITSEA, social competence, self-perceived competence and parental stress, children with atopic dermatitis showed higher scores in depression/anxiety and depression/withdrawal, compared to children in the normal control group. In relation to parental stress, daily stress, parental role stress, and stress related disease, mothers with atopic dermatitis children exhibited higher scores. In establishing relationships among the related variables, atopic children who demonstrated more social competence were more likely to suffer less from withdrawal, attention problems, and depression/anxiety. Stress related disease in mothers with atopic children was positively related to attention problems of the child. In terms of relative influences, behavioral problems was the most significant variable, accounting for 23% of variance. Lower behavioral problems was positively related to more social competence. In summation, this study investigated the general characteristics of atopic children. In conclusion, atopic children and their mothers had difficulty in dealing with this disease. It is our belief that an atopic child would not only require physical treatment, but also need appropriate psychological care.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.973-979
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• 2000

A glycogen storage disease(GSD) type I is a metabolic disease caused by a deficiency in one of the components of the glucose-6-phosphatase(G-6-Pase) system. This disorder results in hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, lactic acidemia, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia. Comon long(-)term complications include growth retaradation, gout, hepatic adenomas, osteoporosis and renal disease. However the cardiovascular system is rarely involved, and only six cases of pulmonary hypertension associated with GSD I have been reported in the literature. We experienced a case of pulmonary hypertension with type I GSD. A 31-year-old rnan, who had discovered type I GSD and received portocaval shunt operation 22 years ago, was admitted to the hospital with the chief complaint of dyspnea. Echocardiographic examination and cardiac catheterization revealed severe pulmonary hypertension. Nitric oxide and oral prostacycline derivative(beraprost) were tried without acute favorable response. After one year with beraprost, dyspnea, exercise capacity and hemodynamic parameters were improved. We report this case with a review of the literature.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 1998

Normal and abnormal follicular growth and steroidogenesis depend on gonadotropins as well as intraovarian peptides, which may mediate or potentiate gonadotropin action. Inhibin also affect follicular development and steroidogenesis and may play a role in dominant follicle selection and follicular atresia. Therefore, we studied the differences of serum inhibin, gonadotropin and androgen levels in the women with only the ultrasound findings and no disorder, and polycystic ovary (PCO) with ovulatory disturbance. We prospectively analysed forty-three women with PCO. The diagnosis of PCO was based on typical appearance of the ovaries on TVS. Twelve women with regular menstrual cycle and normal ovarian morphology were selected as control. Basal levels of inhibin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol $(E_2)$, testosterone (T), androstenedione (ADD), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DS), prolactin and TSH in serum were determined. There were significant differences in basal LH levels and LH/FSH ratio between the control and the women with PCO. The basal levels of inhibin and $E_2$ in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO (N=34) were significantly higher than those in the control. There was higher negative correlation between the inhibin and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but, not in the regular cycling PCO. Also, there was higher positive correlation between the LH and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but not in the regular cycling PCO. These data presume that the initial event of PCO is elevated pituitary LH secretion. Elevated levels of LH may down-regulate LH receptors on granulosa cells and also cause hypertrophy of the thecal layer. High level of androgen secreted by the hypertrophied thecal layer may stimulate inhibin secretion from granulosa cells and can be converted to estrogen by extraovarian tissues and could serve to augment pituitary sensitivity to GnRH with a resultant secretion of more LH than FSH. Inhibin may inhibit FSH action on granulosa cell in the PCO follicle, impairing follicular development and dominant follicle selection resulted in ovulatory disturbance.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.103-115
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• 2009

In vertebrates, the face is mainly formed with neural crest derived neural crest cells by the inherent programs and the interactive environmental factors. Extracellular signaling-regulated kinase (Erk) is one of such programs to regulate the various cellular functions. And retinoic acid (RA) also plays an important role as a regulator in differentiation process at various stages of vertebrate embryogenesis. We wanted to know that the segregation as well as the patterning of maxillary and mandibular structure is greatly influenced by the maxillomandibular cleft (MMC) and the failure of this development may result in the maxillomandibular fusion (syngnathia) or other patterning related disorder. It has been well documented that the epithelium at this cleft region has significant expression of Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) 8, and it is essential for the patterning of the first arch derived structures. By the morphological, skeletal, cell proliferation and apoptotic, and hybridization analysis, we checked the effects of Erk inhibition and/or RA activation onto MMC and could observe that Erk and RA signaling is individually and synergically involved in the facial patterning in terms of FGF signaling pathway via Barx-l. So RA and Erk signaling work together for the MMC patterning and the segregation of maxilla-mandible by controlling the Fgf-related signaling pathways. And the abnormality in MMC brought by aberrant Fgf signaling may result in the disturbances of maxillary-mandibular segregation.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.343-352
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• 2019

Abnormal orofacial functions such as lip incompetency in the period of growth and development can cause morphological anomalies of the craniofacial complex. Therefore, it is crucial to make an early diagnosis based on the evaluation of the myofunctional conditions, and to make appropriate treatment plans. The objectives of this study were to quantitatively evaluate the standard lip closing force (LCF) of each age in the elementary school children, and to evaluate the relationships between LCF and affecting factors. The sample consisted of 765 children who were 7 - 12 years old in Jeonju city. Clinical examination about occlusal conditions and lip competency, and LCF measurement were performed by a single examiner. LCF was measured three times for each children with the LCF measuring device. The LCF was correlated positively with age in both sexes. The distribution of LCF groups was correlated significantly with Angle's classes and lip competency (p = 0.016, 0.004). The proportion of children with high LCFs was greater in the "competent lip" group, whereas the proportion of those with low LCFs was greater in the "incompetent lip" group.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.471-475
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• 2007

This study was carried out to elucidate the relationship between yields and inorganic nutrient contents, and then establish of critical range of inorganic nutrient contents in leaves of net melon in protected cultivation in Naju from 2004 to 2006. In considering the yields and nutrient contents of net melon, the critical ranges of macro-nutrient contents in leaves of net melon at 25 days after transplanting were in N 3.4~4.8%, P 0.4~0.7%, K 3.4~5.1%, Ca 2.7~4.1% and Mg 0.6~0.8%, respectably. The critical ranges of micronutrient content, such as Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B, were not found the regular trend with different growth stages. However, the critical range of micronutrient contents in leaves of net melon at 25 days after transplanting were in Fe 102~164, Mn 52~116, Zn 28~98, Cu 7~15 and B $36{\sim}72mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectably. Finally, these results might be used at the indicator for critical nutrient contents for diagnosis of nutritional disorder in net melon in protected cultivation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2022

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been attracting significant attention in modern society, owing to the increased incidence rate of various diseases along with population growth. EDCs are found in many commercial products, including some plastic bottles and containers, detergents, liners of metal food cans, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides. EDCs have a hormonal effect on the human body, which disrupts the endocrine system, notably affecting sexual differentiation and normal reproduction, and can trigger cancer as well. Recently, the association between neurological diseases and EDCs has become a hot topic of research in the field of neuroscience. Considering that EDCs negatively affect not only neuronal proliferation and neurotransmission but also the formation of the neuronal networks, EDCs may induce neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as well as neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. In light of these potentially deleterious outcomes, important efforts have been underway to minimize the exposure to EDCs through appropriate regulations and policies around the world, but chemicals that have not yet been associated with endocrine disrupting properties are still in wide use. Therefore, more epidemiological investigations and research are needed to fully understand the effects of EDCs on the nervous system.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.553-561
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• 2022

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a slowly progressing hematopoietic cell disorder. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) plays established roles in tumor initiation, progression, and chemotherapy resistance in a wide range of cancers, including leukemia. However, small-molecule inhibitors targeting SPHK1 in CML still need to be developed. This study revealed the role of SPHK1 in CML and investigated the potential anti-leukemic activity of hirsuteine (HST), an indole alkaloid obtained from the oriental plant Uncaria rhynchophylla, in CML cells. These results suggest that SPHK1 is highly expressed in CML cells and that overexpression of SPHK1 represents poor clinical outcomes in CML patients. HST exposure led to G2/M phase arrest, cellular apoptosis, and downregulation of Cyclin B1 and CDC2 and cleavage of Caspase 3 and PARP in CML cells. HST shifted sphingolipid rheostat from sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) towards the ceramide coupled with a marked inhibition of SPHK1. Mechanistically, HST significantly blocked SPHK1/S1P/S1PR1 and BCR-ABL/PI3K/Akt pathways. In addition, HST can be docked with residues of SPHK1 and shifts the SPHK1 melting curve, indicating the potential protein-ligand interactions between SPHK1 and HST in both CML cells. SPHK1 overexpression impaired apoptosis and proliferation of CML cells induced by HST alone. These results suggest that HST, which may serve as a novel and specific SPHK1 inhibitor, exerts anti-leukemic activity by inhibiting the SPHK1/S1P/S1PR1 and BCR-ABL/PI3K/Akt pathways in CML cells, thus conferring HST as a promising anti-leukemic drug for CML therapy in the future.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the nutrition status, growth and fruit quality of 'Campbell Early' grapes in Hwaseong area. Organic matter content of 3 vineyard soils was significantly lower than standard value. P₂O₅ and K contents of Y vineyard and P₂O₅ of C vineyard were very high. But there were no significant differences in contents of Ca, Mg and CEC. Compared to the standard value. T-N, Ca and Mg contents of petiole were adequate. P₂O₅ contents of Y and C vineyard and K contents of Y vineyard were significantly higher than standard value. Berry firmness, color and bloom occurrence on fruit skin showed no differences among 3 vineyard. Soluble solids content poorly, yield per tree and goods fruit of C vineyard decreased significantly compared to the fruit in Y and H vineyards. Russetted fruit of Y vineyard, colored fruit of H vineyard, and unfertilized fruit, cracked fruit, and bitter rot were observed frequently.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1062-1073
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• 2023

Although depression is a common psychiatric disorder that negatively affects individuals and societies, its exact pathogenesis is not well understood. Stress is a major risk factor for depression and is known to increase susceptibility by triggering inflammation. Indeed, many preclinical and clinical studies have suggested a strong link between depression and inflammation. Depression is associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL-)1β, IL-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ, and decreased levels of the anti-inflammatory IL-4, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-β. Administering pro-inflammatory cytokines causes depression-like behaviors in rodents. Conversely, administering anti-inflammatory drugs appears to ameliorate depressive symptoms. Although the importance of inflammation as a mediator of depression has been demonstrated, the mechanisms by which inflammation is activated in depression remain unclear. To address this issue, recent studies have focused on the importance of stress-induced sterile inflammation. Sterile inflammation refers to the activation of inflammatory processes due to physical and/or psychological stress in the absence of pathogens. Stress promotes the release of endogenous factors known as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), thereby triggering sterile inflammation. In turn, DAMPs are recognized by pattern recognition receptors, leading to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Here, we review the role of DAMPs in depression based on preclinical and clinical evidence on the dysregulation of sterile inflammation.