• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.15-26
• /
• 2017

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing worldwide. Patients with T2D suffer from various diabetes-related complications. Since there are many patients with T2D that cannot be controlled by previously developed drugs, it has been necessary to develop new drugs, one of which is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) based therapy. GLP-1 has been shown to ameliorate diabetes-related conditions by augmenting pancreatic ${\beta}-cell$ insulin secretion and having the low risk of causing hypoglycemia. Because of a very short half-life of GLP-1, many researches have been focused on the development of GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists with long half-lives such as exenatide and dulaglutide. Now GLP-1R agonists have a variety of dosing-cycle forms to meet the needs of various patients. In this article, we review the physiological features of GLP-1, the effects of GLP-1 on T2D, the features of several GLP-1R agonists, and the therapeutic effect on T2D.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.121-127
• /
• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate potential effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on bimanual force control capabilities in healthy young adults. Method: Eighteen right-handed healthy young adults (10 females and 8 males; age: 23.55 ± 3.56 yrs) participated in this crossover design study. All participants were randomly allocated to both active-tDCS and sham-tDCS conditions, respectively. While receiving 20 min of active- or sham-tDCS interventions, all participants performed bimanual isometric force control tasks at four submaximal targeted force levels (i.e., 5%, 10%, 15, and 20% of maximal voluntary contraction: MVC). To compare bimanual force control capabilities including force accuracy, variability, and regularity between active-tDCS and sham-tDCS conditions, we conducted two-way repeated measures ANOVAs (2 × 4; tDCS condition × Force levels). Results: We found no significant difference in baseline MVC between active-tDCS and sham-tDCS conditions. Moreover, our findings revealed that providing bilateral tDCS including anodal tDCS on left primary motor cortex (M1) and cathodal on right M1 while conducting bimanual force control trials significantly decreased force variability and regularity at 5%MVC. Conclusion: These findings suggest that providing bilateral tDCS on M1 areas may improve bimanual force control capabilities at a relatively low targeted force level.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.95-99
• /
• 2023

Forest healing is an activity that enhances immunity and human health using various elements of nature, such as fragrance and scenery. Particularly, phytoncide composed of terpene, a natural volatile substance emitted by forest plants, activates the immune function and is an important raw material in health-related products, such as antibacterial and insect repellents. Moreover, phytoncide is used as a measure to evaluate the impact of the forest atmosphere on the human body. This study aims to implement a highly sensitive gas sensor system that can measure phytoncide in real-time, which is an essential element for realizing a forest healing environment. A gas generation apparatus was implemented by using an adsorption tube in consideration of filed applicability in a laboratory atmosphere to enable the measurement of α-pinene and limonene, which are among the main components of phytoncide. Throughout the experimental trials, the sensitivity of gas sensor arrays to α-pinene and limonene was confirmed. In addition, the classification results demonstrated the AVOCs and NVOCs can be well discriminated using PCA. The primary results confirmed the possibility of developing a high-sensitivity gas sensor system for phytoncide sensing in real time.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.225-238
• /
• 2022

The ultimate goal of human assisted reproductive technology is to achieve a healthy pregnancy and birth, ideally from the selection and transfer of a single competent embryo. Recently, techniques for efficiently evaluating the state and quality of preimplantation embryos using time-lapse imaging systems have been applied. Artificial intelligence programs based on deep learning technology and big data analysis of time-lapse monitoring system during in vitro culture of preimplantation embryos have also been rapidly developed. In addition, several molecular markers of the secretome have been successfully analyzed in spent embryo culture media, which could easily be obtained during in vitro embryo culture. It is also possible to analyze small amounts of cell-free nucleic acids, mitochondrial nucleic acids, miRNA, and long non-coding RNA derived from embryos using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or digital PCR, as well as next-generation sequencing. Various efforts are being made to use non-invasive evaluation of embryo quality (NiEEQ) to select the embryo with the best developmental competence. However, each NiEEQ method has some limitations that should be evaluated case by case. Therefore, an integrated analysis strategy fusing several NiEEQ methods should be urgently developed and confirmed by proper clinical trials.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.1256-1270
• /
• 2023

Objectives: This study analyzes domestic research trends on herbal medicine treatments for ulcerative colitis (UC) by examining 28 selected domestic papers using the Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching System (OASIS) as the main search source. Methods: A total of 28 domestic papers were selected on the OASIS platform as the main search source using the keywords "(궤양성 대장염) or (궤양성 대장병)" and "(한약) or (한의학)". Results: There were 11 case report studies and 17 case-control studies published from 2002 to 2022. All the case-control studies only dealt with mice and did not include human subjects. The most common pathologies were damp heat and Changpung. Hwangryunhaedok-tang was the most frequently prescribed herbal formula, and Coptidis Rhizoma was the most commonly used herb across all studies. The results showed that many studies demonstrated the significant effects of herbal treatment. Conclusion: Herbal medicine may exhibit therapeutic effects on various aspects of UC. However, evidence-based studies, such as clinical trials involving human subjects, are needed.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.117-124
• /
• 2014

As the contemporary times entered, the attention focused on the 'human's perception on a space' as much as on that a space's physical structure, so the meaning of a space became defined depending on how a person thought over and behaved in the space. As this age is the times of consilience and integration, a space accepts new technologies beyond being defined simply based on the space's structure and its shape and tries to provide different, 'strange experiences' from tho se felt by the human until now. Recently in the filed of space design, it can be seen that the spae design's connection with various technologies affects on considerable influence on the all fields of culture and arts like space marketings, media arts, exhibitions and performances as well as the buildings. Especially. the fusion of digital images and architecture is actively developed. Images possessing the moving light's attributes shine a city night and day and a building changes a city's appearance itself by adding new materials on the surface of building. It is the purpose of this study to study what new experiences the human gets and creates from his interaction with spaces based on such technological fusion. By studying some cases that used the digital media as a mediating instrument as the way presenting spatial experiences to the human, this study intended to identify what design factors were applied and to find appropriate directions for space desig in relation to what new trials can be done.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.517-523
• /
• 2013

Naphthyridine compounds are important, because they exhibit various biological activities including anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity. Some naphthyridines have antimitotic effects or demonstrate anticancer activity by inhibiting topoisomerase II. These compounds have been investigated as potential anticancer agents, and several compounds are now part of clinical trials. A series of naphthyridine derivatives were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activities against human cervical cancer (HeLa), leukemia (HL-60), and prostate cancer (PC-3) cell lines using an MTT assay. Some compounds (14, 15, and 16) were more potent than colchicine against all three human cancer cell lines and compound (16) demonstrated potency with $IC_{50}$ values of 0.7, 0.1, and $5.1{\mu}M$, respectively. Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) were used for quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) molecular modeling of these compounds. We obtained accurate and predictive three-dimensional QSAR (3D-QSAR) models as indicated by the high PLS parameters of the HeLa ($q^2$, 0.857; $r^2$, 0.984; $r^2\;_{pred}$, 0.966), HL-60 ($q^2$, 0.777; $q^2$, 0.937; $r^2\;_{pred}$, 0.913), and PC-3 ($q^2$, 0.702; $q^2$, 0.983; $r^2\;_{pred}$, 0.974) cell lines. The 3D-QSAR contour maps suggested that the C-1 NH and C-4 carbonyl group of the naphthyridine ring and the C-2 naphthyl ring were important for cytotoxicity in all three human cancer cell lines.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.496-505
• /
• 2020

Background: Panax ginseng is a marvelous herbal remedy for all ailments of body. That may be why it is called Panax, which means "cure for all". Melanin is a pigment that gives color to our skin; however, increased melanin production can lead to tumor formation. Human exposure to ultraviolet B radiation has increased extensively owing to the increased sunlight due to global warming. Consequently, a phenomenon called photoaging has been observed for all skin colors and types. As a result of this phenomenon, a set of enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, which serve as degradation enzymes for extracellular matrix proteins, mainly collagen, is increased, causing depletion of collagen and resulting in early wrinkle formation. Methods: Therefore, in our study, we used the murine melanoma cell line B16/F10 to study the inhibition of melanogenesis by Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) extract in vitro and HRM-2 hairless mice exposed to artificial ultraviolet B to examine the efficacy of KRG in vivo. We prepared a 3% red ginseng extract cream and evaluated its effects on human skin. Results: Our results demonstrated that KRG induced potent suppression of tyrosinase activity and melanin production in B16/F10 cells; moreover, it reduced the transcription and translation of components involved in the melanin production pathway. In the in vivo experiments, KRG potently suppressed the expression of matrix metalloproteinases, reduced wrinkle formation, and inhibited collagen degradation. On human skin, ginseng cream increased skin resilience and skin moisture and enhanced skin tone. Conclusion: Therefore, we conclude that KRG is an excellent skin whitening and antiaging product.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.173-178
• /
• 2009

This study was conducted to determine if supplementation with a compound composed of caffeine (50 mg), capsaicin (75 mg), sesamine (30 mg), L-carnitine (300 mg), banaba (50 mg) and lotus (10 mg) enhanced human autonomic nervous activities (ANS) associated with thermogenic sympathetic activity and fat utilization. Ten healthy college males (21.2$\pm$1.0 yr) volunteered for this experiment. Autonomic nervous activities associated with energy metabolism were examined at 30 min intervals for a total of 120-min while at rest and every 5-min during exercise at 50% of the ventilation threshold before and after intake of the compound or placebo with 100 ml of water for 10 days. In addition, heart rate variability power spectral analysis was used to assess human autonomic nervous activities. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in heart rate during rest and exercise among trials. Furthermore, the autonomic nervous activity tended to increase after 10-days of consumption of the test compounds during the experimental period, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. However, before and after the compound test trial there was a significantly higher respiratory gas exchange ratio (rest 0: 0.83$\pm$0.01 vs. rest 3: 0.89$\pm$0.02, p<0.05), carbohydrate oxidation (CHO) rate (rest 0: 44.57$\pm$5.83 vs. rest 2: 63.86$\pm$5.91%, p<0.05) and a lower fat oxidation rate (rest 0: 55.43$\pm$5.83 vs. rest 2: 36.14$\pm$5.91%, p<0.05. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that the compound composed of caffeine, capsaicin, sesamine, L-carnitine, banaba and lotus components that was evaluated in this study did not induce a significant increase in human autonomic nervous activities or lipolysis, even though the individual components have been reported to induce increased fat oxidation.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.181-190
• /
• 2001

This study was designed to investigate the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on DNA stability in human spermatozoa. To verify human spermatozoa were incubated with xanthine-xanthine oxidase (X 100$\mu$M-XO 50 mlU ~ 400 mIU), $H_2O_2$ (125 $\mu$M ~ 1 mM), sodium nitroprusside (SNP 0.1 $\mu$M ~ 100 $\mu$M) or lymphocyte. Otherwise, spermatozoa were incubated under low $O_2$ (5%) condition. Damage of sperm DNA was analyzed by single cell electrophoresis (Comet assay) and flow cytometry after acridine orange staining. In the presence of ROS, there was increase in DNA damage. The rate of DNA single strand breakage (9.0$\pm$1.0% ~ 46.0$\pm$4.6%) and DNA fragmentation (7.51$\pm$1.0% ~ 29.5$\pm$4.6%) were similar regardless of the kinds of ROS and exposure time. DNA damage in the lower $O_2$ condition (5%) was lower than ambient $O_2$ condition (20%). Taken together, it suggested that sperm DNA might be damaged by ROS. In the presence of ROS, increase in DNA damage and chromatin instability was obvious in spite of short exposure. Although present study reconfirmed that sperm incubation in the low concentration of ROS have the benefit m the induction of capacitation and Ah, the increase in DNA damage by ROS and possible genetic problem should be considered before the human trials.