• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6219-6225
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• 2014

Background: Increasing evidence from animal, epidemiological and clinical investigations suggest that dietary anthocyanins have potential to prevent chronic diseases, including cancers. It is also noteworthy that human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ErbB2) protein overexpression or ErbB2 gene amplification has been included as an indicator for metastasis and higher risk of recurrence for breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The present experiments investigated the anti-metastasis effects of black rice anthocyanins (BRACs) on ErbB2 positive breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. Results: Oral administration of BRACs (150 mg/kg/day) reduced transplanted tumor growth, inhibited pulmonary metastasis, and decreased lung tumor nodules in BALB/c nude mice bearing ErbB2 positive breast cancer cell MDA-MB-453 xenografts. The capacity for migration, adhesion, motility and invasion was also inhibited by BRACs in MDA-MB-453 cells in a concentration dependent manner, accompanied by decreased activity of a transfer promoting factor, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA). Conclusions: Together, our results indicated that BRACs possess anti-metastasis potential against ErbB2 positive human breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro through inhibition of metastasis promoting molecules.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.429-443
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine 1) the bone-regenerative effect of porcine bone block materials with or without collagen matrix incorporation, 2) the effect of a collagen barrier, and 3) the effect of adding recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) to the experimental groups. Methods: Four treatment modalities were applied to rabbit calvaria: 1) deproteinized bovine bone mineral blocks (DBBM), 2) porcine bone blocks with collagen matrix incorporation (PBC), 3) porcine bone blocks alone without collagen matrix incorporation (PB), and 4) PBC blocks covered by a collagen membrane (PBC+M). The experiments were repeated with the addition of rhBMP-2. The animals were sacrificed after either 2 or 12 weeks of healing. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), histologic, and histomorphometric analyses were performed. Results: Micro-CT indicated adequate volume stability in all block materials. Histologically, the addition of rhBMP-2 increased the amount of newly formed bone (NB) in all the blocks. At 2 weeks, minimal differences were noted among the NB of groups with or without rhBMP-2. At 12 weeks, the PBC+M group with rhBMP-2 presented the greatest NB (P<0.05 vs. the DBBM group with rhBMP-2), and the PBC and PB groups had greater NB than the DBBM group (P>0.05 without rhBMP-2, P<0.05 with rhBMP-2). Conclusions: The addition of rhBMP-2 enhanced NB formation in vertical augmentation using bone blocks, and a collagen barrier may augment the effect of rhBMP-2.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2014

The goal-gradient hypothesis states that the tendency to approach a goal increases with the increasing proximity of the goal (Hull 1932). It was initially supported with an evidence of animal experiments and since then, several papers have investigated the goal-gradient hypothesis in humans. Although there are some evidences related to the goal-gradient hypothesis in human behaviors, none of previous studies can properly explain its underlying mechanism, and what's more, they were not able to suggest useful managerial applications in human behaviors. From these perspectives, this work points out that there are some theoretical weaknesses to apply the goal-gradient hypothesis into the complicated human decision-making behaviors and proposes an alternative theoretical mechanismthat underlies the goal-gradient hypothesis in human. Finally, it offers insights into managerial implications of the goal-gradient hypothesis in the marketing field. This study focuses on the changes in motivations for achieving goals, in terms of how approaches to goals vary according to temporal distance from those goals. Specifically, the temporal construal theory (Liberman and Trope 1998) is considered as the underlying mechanism of the goal-gradient in that the temporal construal theory argues how the temporal distance from a goal makes people change their associated values regarding to that goal. According to the temporal construal theory, the value of distant future outcomes (near future outcomes) is construed on the basis of abstract and central features (concrete and peripheral features), and it argues that distant future situations are construed on a higher level than near future situations. This means that the value associated with the high-level construal is enhanced over delay, whereas the value associated with the low-level construal is discounted over delay. Our propositions suggest that the goal-gradient behavior in human can be motivated by the different aspects or characteristics of the goal as time changes based on the temporal construal theory. Thus, the following propositions are proposed. P 1-1: If the goal is far away, consumers put more value on the central features that are more associated with the desirability of the goal. P 1-2: If the goal is far away, consumers put more effort into accomplishing the goal that has more central features, regardless of its peripheral features. P 2-1: If a goal is near, consumers put more value on the peripheral features that are more associated with the feasibility of the goal. P 2-2: If a goal is near, consumers put more effort into accomplishing the goal that has more peripheral features, regardless of its central features. We hope to provide sufficient managerial implications for the companies as our research aims to show how consumers react differently as they progress toward the goal. Proposed propositions may provide guidance for companies developing a loyalty program, enabling them to understand what kinds of benefits or services they should provide or emphasize to consumers in loyalty programs on the basis of the time-dependent changes in outcome values (such as gifts, reward coupons). The effects of temporal distance from a goal should inform companies' marketing activities and help themto determine where emphasis should be placed in designing the benefits of their loyalty program.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.255-266
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• 2017

Chemically derived pesticides have been used to prevent biological damage to domestic cultural property. However, their use is gradually being restricted due to the harmful effects on the human body and environment. Therefore, there is a growing interest in the search for new antifungal biopharmaceuticals whose safety has been confirmed by toxicity evaluation through animal experiments. This paper presents methods of toxicity evaluation of natural biocides using Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Safety of the natural biocide extract of Asarum sieboldii was evaluated using single-dose oral and dermal toxicity tests in Sprague-Dawley rats, and eye and skin irritation tests in NZW rabbits. The extract has proven antimicrobial and insecticidal activities against wood-rotting fungi and termites. After single oral administration to rats, the $LD_{50}$ values were determined to be over 4,000 and 2,000 mg/kg for males and females, respectively. After single dermal administration to rats, the $LD_{50}$ values exceeded 10,000 mg/kg for both males and females. The extract was identified to be non-irritant to the rabbit eye, and only slightly irritant to the rabbit skin. In this study, we confirmed the safety of the A sieboldii extract through animal testing. Due to the harmfulness of humidifier disinfectants, focus is on the safety of chemical pesticides, and toxicity evaluation is suggested as the basic method for hazard evaluation.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2021

Recent gut microbiota studies have revealed the important roles of gut microbiota for our health. Increasing numbers of health functional foods have been developed every year. Development of functional food often includes ex- and in-vivo experiment to verify the beneficial effects of the functional food. To investigate effects of functional food on gut microbiota, animal models were often conducted. Beneficial effects of food can be evaluated based on how gut microbiota was shifted by food, which results in either increase in beneficial bacteria, decrease in potentially pathogenic bacteria or both. As animal experiments are generally time-consuming and laborious, we investigate how well in-vitro investigation of fecal microbiota may reflect dietary health benefits. Here, we tested 15 kinds of diets using two human subjects' fecal materials. Our results showed varying gut microbiota shifts according to diets, which suggested generally known beneficial diets (i.e. Kimchi, Chunggukjang) increased Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Therefore, we suggest that in vitro fecal microbiota analysis could be used to evaluate beneficial effects of diets. Moreover, this method may be ideal to establish personalized diet.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.258-269
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: Currently, safety pharmacological tests for the central nervous system depend on animal behavioral analysis. However, due to the subjectivity of behavioral analysis and differences between species, there is a limit to appropriate nervous system toxicity assessment, therefore a new neurotoxicity assessment that can simulate the human central nervous system is required. Methods and Results: In our study, we developed an in vitro neurotoxicity assessment focusing on neuronal function. To minimize the differences between species and fast screening, hiPSC-derived neurons and a microelectrode array (MEA) that could simultaneously measure the action potentials of the neuronal networks were used. After analyzing the molecular and electrophysiological characters of our neuronal network, we conducted a neurotoxicity assessment on neurotransmitters, neurotoxicants, illicit drugs, and new psychoactive substances (NPS). We found that most substances used in our experiments responded more sensitively to our MEA-based neurotoxicity assessment than to the conventional neurotoxicity assessment. Also, this is the first paper that evaluates various illicit drugs and NPS using MEA-based neurotoxicity assessment using hiPSC-derived neurons. Conclusions: Our study expanded the scope of application of neurotoxicity assessment using hiPSC-derived neurons to NPS, and accumulated evaluation data of various toxic substances for hiPSC-derived neurons.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.282-288
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• 2010

We evaluated the anti-diabetic effects of Triticum aestivum sprout water extract (TA) in diabetes mellitus type 2. For the experiments, the diabetic animal model db/db mice were divided to 3 groups: diabetic control (db/db) and two experimental groups orally treated with 25 and 100 mg/kg single dose of TA (TA-25 and TA-100, respectively). The lean mice were used as the non-diabetic normal control. All mice have free access to water and AIN-93 diet. TA was administrated to diabetic mice for 5 weeks and the diabetic clinical markers, including blood glucose level, body weight, food intake and insulin level, were measured at a time. After administration for 5 weeks, the blood glucose level was decreased 1.10 and 1.98 folds in TA-25 and TA-100 groups, respectively, compared with db/db group. The body weight and diet consumption were significantly reduced by TA treatment in dose-dependent manner. The treatments of TA-100 also significantly decreased remarkedly liver weight and slightly serum insulin levels when compared with them of the diabetic control group. However the immunohistochemical staining for insulin clearly showed high expression of insulin in the pancreatic islet cells derived from all db/db mice, even if TA was administrated. Moreover, TA-100 treatment significantly improved impaired glucose tolerance in diabetic db/db mice. The results suggest that TA has anti-hyperglycemic effect attenuating blood glucose in the animal model of type 2 diabetes and might be useful as a functional diet for human diabetic diseases.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 2013

We evaluated the anti-diabetic effects of Isaria tenuipes in diabetes mellitus type 2. For the experiments, the diabetic animal model OLETF rats were divided to 4 groups: Isaria tenuipes was administered mixed with the high fat diet 45% at dose levels of 0.0%, 0.1%, 1.0%, and 5.0% for 4 weeks. All animals have free access to water and high fat diet 45%. The diabetic clinical markers, including clinical signs, body weight and food intake, organ weights, blood glucose level, insulin level and HOMA-IR index, oral glucose tolerance test, GLUT4 mRNA and protein were measured at a time. After administration for 4 weeks, the blood glucose levels, insulin levels and HOMA-IR index of test groups were decreased compared with control group in dose-dependent manner. The body weight and diet consumptions were reduced in control group at 4 weeks. The treatments of Isaria tenuipes also showed high expression of GLUT4 mRNA and protein in the muscle of OLETF rats. The results suggest that Isaria tenuipes has anti-hyperglycemic effect attenuating blood glucose in the animal model of type 2 diabetes and might be useful as a functional diet for human diabetic diseases.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.749-758
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• 2003

The velvet antler of Korean sika deer has been used to the important resources for human health care with ginseng in Korea and Chinese. For studying on biological function of deer velvet being recorded in many ancient literatures, this experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of powdered velvet antler on growth, feed intake, feed efficiency and intestinal organ development in growing and adult Sprague-Dawley Rats. Experiments were designed by adding amount of powdered velvet antler such as control (non- supplementation), powdered velvet antler I (PVA I, recommended dose) and powdered velvet antler II (PVA II, thrice recommended dose). The recommended dose of powdered velvet in this experiment was calculated with metabolic body weight of rats, which based on the recommended amounts for 70 kg of human. The growths of growing and adult rats generally appeared advantage in PVA supplementation. The final body weight of control, PVA I and II were respectively 470${\pm}$39.00g, 478${\pm}$30.33g and 475${\pm}$22.72g in growing rats, and 485${\pm}$38.50g, 521${\pm}$38.67g and 508${\pm}$34.44g in adult rats. The average daily feed intake were not significantly influenced but the feed efficiency ratios (feed/gain) were improved by PVA supplementation. The feed/gain ratios of control, PVA I and II were respectively 5.99, 5.47 and 5.54 in growing rats, and 9.04, 7.73 and 8.18 in adult rats. In case of developments of liver, heart, kidney and stomach, we obtained favorable results in both PAC I and II, but their results were not significantly different according to amount of PVA supplementation. Because liver and heart are important organs in the circulation of blood, their favorable effects suggest that velvet antler may have factors contributing hematopoiesis. Conclusively, supplementation of powdered velvet antler resulted in an improved growth, feed efficiency and development of some intestinal organs in growing and adult rat. Even if further investigation of dose in human health care are should be performed, this experiment appeared the best desirable results in PVA I, recommended dose of powdered velvet antler.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2021

Purpose: The atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) has been introduced as an effective disinfection method for titanium surfaces due to their massive radical generation at low temperatures. Helium (He) has been widely applied as a discharge gas in APPJ due to its bactericidal effects and was proven to be effective in our previous study. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effects of He-APPJ application at both the cell and tissue levels. Methods: Cellular-level responses were examined using human gingival fibroblasts and osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1 cells). He-APPJ was administered to the cells in the experimental group, while the control group received only He-gas treatment. Immediate cell responses and recovery after He-APPJ treatment were examined in both cell groups. The effect of He-APPJ on osteogenic differentiation was evaluated via an alkaline phosphatase activity assay. In vivo, He-APPJ treatment was administered to rat calvarial bone and the adjacent periosteum, and samples were harvested for histological examination. Results: He-APPJ treatment for 5 minutes induced irreversible effects in both human gingival fibroblasts and osteoblasts in vitro. Immediate cell detachment of human gingival fibroblasts and osteoblasts was shown regardless of treatment time. However, the detached areas in the groups treated for 1 or 3 minutes were completely repopulated within 7 days. Alkaline phosphatase activity was not influenced by 1 or 3 minutes of plasma treatment, but was significantly lower in the 5 minute-treated group (P=0.002). In vivo, He-APPJ treatment was administered to rat calvaria and periosteum for 1 or 3 minutes. No pathogenic changes occurred at 7 days after He-APPJ treatment in the He-APPJ-treated group compared to the control group (He gas only). Conclusions: Direct He-APPJ treatment for up to 3 minutes showed no harmful effects at either the cell or tissue level.