• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.29-35
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• 2003

In the oriental medicine, the illness of a human being is treated properly according to the strength and weakness of his/her physical constitution. In other words, the treatment principle of the oriental medicine is to balance the functions of the weak and strong inner parts of the physical constitution which can be classified into five characteristic elements: that is, the wood, fire, earth, mental, and water. An aroma therapy, one of traditional oriental medicine, uses pertinent perfumes to strengthen weak inner parts of the body, too. Although the remedy based on the five elements (in short, five element remedy) has revealed excellent clinical effects so far, it is still believed that the remedy is rather statistical and subjective than scientific. Thus, more systematic research needs to be done to prove it. In this paper, the correlation between perfume and physical constitutions has been formulated by grasping results of EEG through stimulation of lavender oil to both mental-type and fire-type persons. Also, the possibility of application for the five element remedy has been investigated. As a result, we found that the lavender oil helped to make strong gallbladder soften for fire-type individuals and to balance weak liver and strong gallbladder for mental-type persons. This agrees well with the results of the five element remedy practiced in the oriental medicine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fermented ginseng extract by mushroom mycelia on antiproliferation of cancer cells. Phellinus linteus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Hericium erinaceum mycelia were inoculated to ginseng. The effects of fermented ginseng extract on antiproliferation of stomach (MKN-45), colon (HCT116), mammary (MCF-7), lung (NCIH460), prostate (PC-3), and liver (HepG2) cancer cells were investigated by MTT assay. Fermented ginseng extract showed significant antiproliferation effects compared with fresh ginseng extract. Fermented ginseng extract by P. linteus, G. lucidum, and H. erinaceum mycelia showed growth-inhibitory effect of 44.50, 17.75 and 43.98% viability at 1.5 mg/mL on the MKN-45 cell line, 62.86, 3.73, and 54.55% at 1.5 mg/mL on the HCT116 cell line, 41.81, 7.01, and 37.84% at 1.5 mg/mL on the MCF-7 cell line, 53.52, 5.31, and 35.27% at 1.5 mg/mL on the NCIH460 cell line, 35.05, 3.07, and 44.29% at 1.5 mg/mL on the PC-3 cell line, and 59.57, 6.34, and 4.97% at 1.5 mg/mL on the HepG2 cell line, respectively. These results indicated that fermented ginseng by G. lucidum mycelium showed the highest antiproliferation effect against various cancer cells.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2004

The potential importance of proteomic approaches has been clearly demonstrated in other fields of human medical research, including liver and heart disease and certain forms of cancer. However, reproductive researches have been applied to proteomics poorly. Proteomics can be defined as the systematic analysis of proteins for their identity, quantity, and function. It could increase the predictability of early drug development and identify non-invasive biomarkers of toxicity or efficacy. Proteome analysis is most commonly accomplished by the combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis(2DE) and MALDI-TOF(matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight) MS(mass spectrometry) or protein chip array and SELDI-TOF(surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization-time of flight) MS. In addition understanding the possessing knowledge of the developing biomarkers used to assess reproductive biology will also be essential components relevant to the topic of reproduction. The continued integration of proteomic and genomic data will have a fundamental impact on our understanding of the normal functioning of cells and organisms and will give insights into complex cellular processes and disease and provides new opportunities for the development of diagnostics and therapeutics. The challenge to researchers in the field of reproduction is to harness this new technology as well as others that are available to a greater extent than at present as they have considerable potential to greatly improve our understanding of the molecular aspects of reproduction both in health and disease.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.914-919
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• 2000

This study was designed to investigate the effects of korean pueraria radix extract in Pb administered rats. Forty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $100{\pm}10g$ were used for this experiment and divided into following 6 groups; control group, 3% pueraria radix group(3% pue.), 100 ppm and 200 ppm alone pb group, 100 ppm and 200 ppm alone pb group with 3% pue. Tissue weight of liver, lung, stomach, heart, kidney and spleen of pb exposed rats were reduced by 3% extracts of pueraria radix group. The Pb content in the rats tissue of pb alone administered group was lower than in the rats tissue of pb group with 3% pue. GPT and GOT were increased in pb-administered group and lower in the 3% extracts of pueraria radix group. LDH was lower in the 3% extracts of pueraria radix-pb group than in the pb group. ChEase was higher in the 3% extracts of pueraria radix group than in the pb alone administered group.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.13 no.2 s.17
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• pp.21-21
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• 2000

All living things including human being consist of soul(spirit) and body. Soul is the root of a life and body frames it. I wrote this paper to tell how internal injury due to endogenous etiological factors and affection due to exegenous pathogenic factors, affect the internal organs and the external bodily from. This paper begins with description of the patterns of disharmony of the internal organs. General disorders of each Five-Jang(五藏) an be classified into two types of soul and body. The Liver and the Heart which lead changing to Yang(陽) of vital energy, have close relationship with spiritual symptoms because spirit is related to Yang. The Lung, Kidneys, the Spleen which lead changing to m(陰) of vital energy, mainly connected with physical disorders because body is relatively close to m. The Five-Jang are ruled by the Five-Phases(五行) system and cause troubles with Oche(五體) and the nine body orifice. Otherwise the main function of the Six-Bu(六府) is to receive food, absorb the usuable portions, and transmit and excrete waste. Therefore they can cause such problems as abdominal pain, distention, difficulty in urination, and constipation. The spleen is responsible for sending Grain-Ki)穀氣) 내 that is closely connected with the six-Bu. The Gall bladder takes care of control of giving out spirit. That's why it presents many symptoms related to the spirit that is ruled by the Five-Jang. Patterns of disharmony of external bodily form is influenced by the state of Maridians. Bodily forms get divided into many parts by the function of six-meridians(六經) to which they belong. Six-meridians have their own function related to excretion, related to excretion, retention, and balance(開闔樞). If local bodily froms get affected by pernicious influences, the Meridians to which they are attached will lose harmony and connot fulfil their own functions. Because the meridian symtem unifies all parts of the body, the whole body will be under the influence of the affection although local parts of the bodily forms get affected. Therefore the symptoms of disharmony should be considered in a synthetic view. There are however, also cases which should be focused on the very meridian channels affected. Disorder within a Meridian generates derangement in the pathway make it not to benefit the muscles and skin belong to it. Because the meridians connect the interior organs with the exterior bodily form, they are influenced by each other.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.13 no.2 s.17
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• pp.22-42
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• 2000

All living things including human being consist of soul(spirit) and body. Soul is the root of a life and body frames it. I wrote this paper to tell how internal injury due to endogenous etiological factors and affection due to exogenous pathogenic factors, affect the internal organs and the external bodily from. This paper begins with description of the patterns of disharmony of the internal organs. General disorders of each Five-Jang(五藏) an be classified into two types of soul and body. The Liver and the Heart which lead changing to Yang(陽) of vital energy, have close relationship with spiritual symptoms because spirit is related to Yang. The Lung, Kidneys, the Spleen which lead changing to m(陰) of vital energy, mainly connected with physical disorders because body is relatively close to m. The Five-Jang are ruled by the Five-Phases(五行) system and cause troubles with Oche(五體) and the nine body orifice. Otherwise the main function of the Six-Bu(六府) is to receive food, absorb the usable portions, and transmit and excrete waste. Therefore they can cause such problems as abdominal pain, distention, difficulty in urination, and constipation. The spleen is responsible for sending Grain-Ki(穀氣) so that is closely connected with the six-Bu. The Gall bladder takes care of control of giving out spirit. That's why it presents many symptoms related to the spirit that is ruled by the Five-Jang. Patterns of disharmony of external bodily form is influenced by the state of Meridians. Bodily forms get divided into many parts by the function of six-meridians(六經) to which they belong. Six-meridians have their own function related to excretion, related to excretion, retention, and balance(開闔樞). If local bodily forms get affected by pernicious influences, the Meridians to which they are attached will lose harmony and cannot fulfil their own functions. Because the meridian system unifies all parts of the body, the whole body will be under the influence of the affection although local parts of the bodily forms get affected. Therefore the symptoms of disharmony should be considered in a synthetic view. There are however, also cases which should be focused on the very meridian channels affected. Disorder within a Meridian generates derangement in the pathway make it not to benefit the muscles and skin belong to it. Because the meridians connect the interior organs with the exterior bodily form, they are influenced by each other.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10439-10444
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• 2015

Many chemotherapeutic agents have been successfully used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the development of chemoresistance in liver cancer cells usually results in a relapse and worsening of prognosis. It has been demonstrated that DNA methylation and histone modification play crucial roles in chemotherapy resistance. Currently, extensive research has shown that there is another potential mechanism of gene expression control, which is mediated through the function of short noncoding RNAs, especially for microRNAs (miRNAs), but little is known about their roles in cancer cell drug resistance. In present study, by taking advantage of miRNA effects on the resistance of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells line to cisplatin, it has been demonstrated that miR-340 were significantly downregulated whereas Nrf2 was upregulated in HepG2/CDDP (cisplatin) cells, compared with parental HepG2 cells. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assays of Nrf2-3'-untranslated region-based reporter constructor indicated that Nrf2 was the direct target gene of miR-340, miR-340 mimics suppressing Nrf2-dependent antioxidant pathway and enhancing the sensitivity of HepG2/CDDP cells to cisplatin. Interestingly, transfection with miR-340 mimics combined with miR-340 inhibitors reactivated the Nrf2 related pathway and restored the resistance of HepG2/CDDP cells to CDDP. Collectively, the results first suggested that lower expression of miR-340 is involved in the development of CDDP resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, at least partly due to regulating Nrf2-dependent antioxidant pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4871-4876
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• 2014

Background: We sought to evaluate the role of tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) on the promotion of coal tar pitch extract (CTPE)-induced tumorigenesis of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and tumor metastasis in nude mice, and related mechanisms. Materials and Methods: BEAS-2B cells were first treated with 2.4 mg/mL CTPE for 72 hours. After removal of CTPE, the cells were continuously cultured and passaged using trypsin-EDTA. THP-1 cells were used as macrophage-like cells. BEAS-2B cells under different conditions (n=6/group) were injected into the back necks of nude mice, and alterations of tumor xenograft growth, indicative of tumorigenicity, and tumor metastasis were determined. Pathological changes (tumor nests and microvascular lesions) of HE-stained tumor tissues were also evaluated. The expression of AP-1(c-Jun) in xenografts and metastatic tumors was determined using immunohistochemistry. Results: Tumor size and weight in nude mice transplanted with the mixture of CTPE-induced passage 30 BEAS-2B and THP-1 cells (2:1) were increased compared to those from the CTPE-treated BEAS-2B cells at passage 30 alone at different observation time points. Tumor metastasis to lymph nodes and liver was only detected after transplantation of a mixture the two kinds of cells. The numbers of tumor nests and microvascular lesions, and the expression levels of AP-1 (c-Jun) in tumors from the mixture of two kinds of cells were increased apparently in contrast to those in tumor from the CTPE-treated BEAS-2B cells of passage 30 alone. In addition, there was positive correlation between AP-1 (c-Jun) expression level and the number of microvascular lesions, or between AP-1 (c-Jun) expression level and tumor metastasis in these two groups. Conclusions: TAMs not only facilitate tumorigenesis transformation of CTPE-induced BEAS-2B cells, but also promote tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis in nude mice in vivo, which may be mediated by AP-1.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4951-4956
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• 2014

Purpose: To investigate IQGAP1 and IQGAP2 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and itsassociation with HCC clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes. Methods: IQGAP1 and IQGAP2 mRNA and protein were measured in HCC tissues, para-tumor tissues and normal tissues by RT-PCR and Western blotting. We further examined 150 HCC samples with adjacent para-tumor tissues and 11 normal specimens by immunohistochemistry to evaluate the correlation of IQGAP1 and IQGAP2 with clinicopathological features and prognosis. Results: IQGAP1 mRNA and protein were up-regulated while IQGAP2 mRNA and protein were down-regulated in human HCC tissues compared with para-tumor and normal liver tissues (p<0.05). IQGAP1 expression was higher in primary HCC (122/150, 81.3%) than matched adjacent tissues (30/150, 20%, p<0.001), whereas IQGAP2 was lower (31/150, 20.7% as compared to 112/150, 74.7%, P<0.001). Positive IQGAP1 expression correlated with larger tumor size (p=0.002), advanced TNM stage (p=0.002) and tumor differentiation (III and IV, p=0.034). Negative IQGAP2 expression was significantly associated with larger tumor size (p=0.009), multicentric tumor occurrence (p=0.01), advanced TNM stage (0.009) and tumor differentiation (III and IV, p=0.020). Survival analysis revealed that patients with either IQGAP1+ or IQGAP2-tumors had significantly reduced disease-free survival (p<0.001 and 0.006 respectively) and overall survival (p<0.001 for both). Multivariate analysis showed that IQGAP1/2 switch was an independent prognosis factor for disease-free survival (HR=2.824) and overall survival (HR=2.189). Conclusion: Positive IQGAP1 and negative IQGAP2 expression were closely correlated with tumor progression and could be used as adjunctive biomarkers to improve prognostication for HCC patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.194-202
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• 2001

Objectives : Many studies have shown an association between serum lipid concentrations and psychologic characteristics. However, conflicting results have also been reported. This study was designed to find the relationship between serum lipid levels(cholesterol and triglycerides) and psychologic characteristics(impulsiveness, aggressiveness, depressiveness) in adolescents. Methods : Serum cholesterol concentration, serum triglycerides concentration, complete blood count, electrolytes, liver function test, and blood sugar level were measured by overnight fasting blood sampling and urinalysis was also conducted in 407 high school students. Impulsiveness level was measured by Barratt Impulsiveness Scale(BIS). Aggressiveness level was measured by Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory(BDHI). Depressiveness level was measured by Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). Serum cholesterol was measured by standard enzymatic assay and serum triglycerides was measured by Boehringer Mannheim method. Results : 1) Low cholesterol group(<15 percentile) were found to have significantly higher BIS score than high cholesterol group(>85 percentile) in female. Female low cholesterol group were also found to have significantly higher motor impulsivity score, a subscale of BIS, than high cholesterol group. 2) High triglycerides group(>85 percentile) were found to have significantly higher BDI score than low triglycerides group(<15 percentile) in male and female separately. Especially, male high triglycerides group were also found to have significantly higher BIS and motor impulsivity score than low triglycerides group. Conclusion : These results support the previous hypothesis that serum lipid levels(cholesterol and triglycerides) affect human psychologic characteristics.