• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.367-374
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• 2005

Background : The fact that only 10-20% of chronic cigarette smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) reflects the presence of genetic factors associated with the susceptibility to COPD. Recently, it was reported that the surfactant protein A increases the secretion of matrix metalloprotease 9, which degrades extracellular matrices of the lung, through a Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). In this context, possible role of TLR2 in the pathogenesis of COPD was postulated, and a functional dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in intron II of TLR2 was evaluated for any association with COPD. Method : Male patients with COPD and male smokers with a normal pulmonary function were enrolled in this study. The number of Guanine-Thymine repeats in intron II of the TLR2 gene were counted. Because the distributions of the repeats were trimodal, the alleles were classified into three subclasses, 12-16 repeats: short (S) alleles; 17-22 repeats: medium length (M) alleles; and 23-27 repeats: long (L) alleles. Result : 125 male patients with COPD and 144 age- and gender-matched blood donors with a normal lung function were enrolled. There were no differences in the distribution of each allele subclass (S, M and L) between the COPD and control group (p=0.75). The frequencies of the genotypes with and without each allele subclass in the COPD and control group were similar. Conclusion : A microsatellite polymorphism in intron II of TLR2 gene was not associated with the development of COPD in Koreans.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.727-733
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• 2017

We investigated the effect of PE film thickness on the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) deastringency of 'Sanggamdungsi' (Diospyros kaki cv.) astringent persimmon at room temperature ($25^{\circ}C$) and low temperature ($-1^{\circ}C$). The fruits were individually packaged with PE film of which the thickness is 60, 80, 100, 115 or $130{\mu}m$ and stored at room or low ($-1^{\circ}C$) temperature. At room temperature, firmness shows the highest value (23.3-26.5) at $100{\mu}m$ thickness. Top flesh browning and decay was monitored at 20 days after storage, and peel blackening and style-end softening was negligible at optimal thickness. Therefore, optimal film thickness of deastringency at room temperature is $80-100{\mu}m$. At this thickness, the astringency was removed after 5 days and the fruits can be distributed until 10 days after the MAP. At low ($-1^{\circ}C$) temperature, firmness was maintained regardless of film thickness. However, the firmness is higher as the film is thicker. Top flesh browning and decay was not occurred even after 90 days after storage. Peel blackening and style-end softening was monitored at 90 days after storage. Off-flavor was monitored at 115 and $130{\mu}m$ thickness. Therefore, optimal film thickness of deastringency at low ($-1^{\circ}C$) temperature is $80-100{\mu}m$. At this thickness, the astringency was removed after 50 days and the fruits can be distributed until 80 days after the MAP.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1234-1243
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• 2011

Liriope platyphylla has been used in oriental medicine as an effective medical plant to improve symptoms of cough, sputum production, neurodegenerative disorders, obesity and diabetes for long time. In order to investigate the effects of novel extracts on nerve growth factors (NGF)-stimulated neuritic outgrowth, the alteration of NGF expression and NGF receptor signaling pathway were detected in neuroblastoma cells and C57BL/6 mice. Of a total of 13 novel extracts, 4 extracts (LP-E, LP-M, LP-M50, LP2E17PJ) showed high viability on MTT assay. Also, all of these extracts induced NGF secretion and NGF mRNA expression in neuroblastoma cells. However, the NGF-induced neuritic outgrowth from PC12 cells was only stimulated by LP-E, LP-M and LP-M50. Furthermore, we selected LP-M as a best candidate, based on method and amounts of extraction, in order to verify its effect in mice. C57BL/6 mice were treated with 50 mg/kg of LP-M for 2 weeks and the effects on NGF regulation were analyzed with various methods. The expression of NGF mRNA was significantly increased in LP-M treated mice compared to vehicle treated mice. Also, the signaling pathway of p75NTR was inhibited in the cortex by LP-M treatment, with no change in the hippocampus of brain. However, the signaling pathway of TrkA was dramatically activated in only hippocampus via LP-M treatment. Therefore, these results suggest that the novel four extracts of L. platyphylla may contribute to the regulation of NGF expression and secretion in neuronal cells. LP-M was especially considered to be an excellent candidate for a neurodegenerative disease-therapeutic drug.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.784-789
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• 2005

The inhibitory effects of hot water extracts of Rhus verniciflua Stokes pith and peel roasted at 170, 200 and $220^{\circ}C$ on lipid peroxidation, formation of DPPH free radicals and growth of four human cancer cells such as HepG2 (liver cancer), SNU-1 (stomach cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer) and Widr (colon cancer) were examined. The antioxidant activities and growth inhibitory effects on cancer cells of hot water extracts of peel were higher than those of pith, and the activities were dose-dependent. The roasting temperature showing the highest antioxidant activities and growth inhibitory effects on cancer cells was in the range of $170\~200^{\circ}C$ The lipid peroxidation and formation of DPPH free radicals of hot water extracts of roasted pith and peel were inhibited to 50.9, $56.5\%\;and\;79.0,\;78.4\%$ at the concentration of $500\mu g/mL$, respectively. The growth inhibitory effects of roasted pith and peel on cancer cells were in the order of Widr (41.5, $36.0\%$) > HepG2 (61.5, $44.0\%$) > MCF-7 (92.0, $69.2\%$)> SNU-1 (100, $100\%$) cells at the concentration of $1,000\mu g/mL$ as compared with the control, respectively. These results suggest that roasted Rhus verniciflua Stokes could be an useful natural medicinal plant for colon cancer.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2007

Purpose: The surgical treatment of gastric cancer that invades adjacent organs is a radical gastrectomy with combined resection including the adjacent organs or a palliative operation by performing either a gastrojejunostomy or gastrectomy. However, since it is impossible to determine the exact stage of the cancer, either T or N, in the case of palliative surgery, it is inappropriate to predict patient prognosis. This study analyzes the prognoses for patients whose final TNM stages are determined by a combined resection performed due to macroscopical infiltration into the adjacent organs. Materials and Methods: Of 2,452 patients that underwent surgery for gastric cancer at our hospital from 1983 to 2002, we evaluated 102 patients where a combined resection was performed because direct infiltration into the adjacent organs was discovered. Results: Univariate analysis showed that the survival rate differed by the depth of invasion into the gastric walls, the degree of lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, pathological TNM stage, surgical curability, the location of tumor, and histological differentiation. By multivariate analysis, it was found that the surgical curability, the location of the tumor and the degree of lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: It is suggested that even when infiltration into adjacent organs is suspected, radical surgery should be performed as to allow a prediction of prognosis through an exact determination of disease stage, and to improve the survival rate.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.5684-5691
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine effects of constraint-induced movement therapy(CIMT) and/or cognitive-perceptual training(CPT) on the change of hand function in cerebrovascular accident(CVA) patients and to evaluate the change in the amount and quality of use of the affected upper extremity in performing daily living tasks. The subjects of study were 10 patients who had been under rehabilitation for more than three months after CVA onset. They were all determined as mild cognition impairment according to NCSE or MVPT test. For CIMT group, to restrict the movement of the unaffected hand the subjects had been worn modified resting arm-splint in daytime for 4 weeks. For CIMT+CPT group, the subjects were performed CPT with CIMT and control group had been under conventional occupational therapy for the same period. CIMT+CPT group showed significant improvement in simulated feeding, lifting large light objects, and lifting large heavy objects of Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test. CIMT group also showed significant improvement compared with control group. The mean changes of the amount of use(AOU) of the affected arm had a statistically significant difference among groups (p<.05). While CIMT+CPT group had the biggest change in the quality of movement(QOM) of upper extremity of the affected side, CTL group showed the smallest change. Both CIMT and CIMT+CPT groups had statistically significant difference in the change in the quality of movement in upper extremity of affected side with CTL group(p<.05), but there was not significant difference between CIMT group and CIMT+CPT group. CIMT performed to the patients of stroke, with mild impairment in cognitive perceptual abilities showed the improvement in hand movement and AOU and QOM of upper extremity in the affected side and the combination of CIMT with CPT showed synergic effects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.706-713
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the contents of monacolin K and citrinin, along with the sensory quality and antioxidant activity of mulberry leaf tea fermented by $Monascus$ $pilsous$ (FMM). Total monacolin K content of FMM was 0.058%, but citrinin was not detected. Redness of brewed FMM was remarkably higher than that of unfermented mulberry leaf tea (UFM). In sensory evaluation of brewed FMM, while astringent taste and savory taste were lower, flavor, color, and overall acceptability were significantly higher than those of UFM. Total polyphenol contents of UFM and FMM were 83.1 and 23.61 mg/g (dry basis), total flavonoid contents of UFM and FMM were 17.96 and 3.99 mg/g (dry basis), respectively. Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity of FMM were lower than those of UFM. Electron-donating ability and ferric-reducing antioxidant power of FMM were slightly lower than those of UFM. However, the antioxidant activities of FMM per polyphenol content were markedly higher than those of UFM. These results suggest that FMM may scavenge excessive reactive oxygen spices (ROS) via inhibition of XO and SOD-like activity. Furthermore, FMM demonstrated relatively higher acceptability and antioxidant ability along with functionality of $Hongguk$ (red yeast rice), and therefore could be utilized to prevent various ROS-induced diseases.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.107-120
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• 2001

This study is concerned with providing a reliable procedure of calibrating a set of places specific distance parameters and with applying it to U.S. inter-State migration flows between 1985 and 1900. It attempts to conform to recent advances in quantitative geography that are characterized by an integration of ESDA(exploratory spatial data analysis) and local statistics. ESDA aims to detect the spatial clustering and heterogeneity by visualizing and exploring spatial patterns. A local statistic is defined as a statistically processed value given to each location as opposed to a global statistic that only captures an average trend across a whole study region. Whereas a global distance parameter estimates an averaged level of the friction of distance, place-specific distance parameters calibrate spatially varying effects of distance. It is presented that a poisson regression with an adequately specified design matrix yields a set of either origin-or destination-specific distance parameters. A case study demonstrates that the proposed model is a reliable device of measuring a spatial dimension of migration, and that place-specific distance parameters are spatially heterogeneous as well as spatially clustered.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.296-305
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• 2006

The adsorption and persistence of pencycuron {1-(4-chlorobenzyl) cyclopentyl-3-phenylurea} in soils were investigated under laboratory and field conditions to in order to assess the safety use and environmental impact. In the adsorption rate experiments, a significant power function of relation was found between the adsorbed amount of pencycuron and the shaking time. Within one hour following the shaking, the adsorption amounts in the SCL and the SiCL were 60 and 65% of the maximum adsorption amounts, respectively. The adsorption reached a quasi-equilibrium 12 hours after shaking. The adsorption isotherms followed the Freundlich equation. The coefficient (1/n) indicating adsorption strength and degree of nonlinearity was 1.45 for SCL and 1.68 to SiCL. The adsorption coefficients ($K_d$) were 2.31 for SCL and 2.92 to SiCL, and the organic carbon partition coefficient, $K_{oc}$, was 292.9 in SCL and 200.5 inSiCL. In the laboratory study, the degradation rate of pencycuron in soils followed a first-order kinetic model. The degradation rate was greatly affected by soil temperature. As soil incubation temperature was increased from 12 to $28^{\circ}C$, the residual half life was decreased from 95 to 20 days. Arrhenius activation energy was 57.8 kJ $mol^{-1}$. Furthermore, the soil moisture content affected the degradation rate. The half life in soil with 30 to 70% of field moisture capacity was ranged from 21 to 38 days. The moisture dependence coefficient, B value in the empirical equation was 0.65. In field experiments, the half-life were 26 and 23 days, respectively. The duration for period of 90% degradation was 57 days. The difference between SCL and SiCL soils varied to pencycuron degradation rates were very limited, particularly under the field conditions, even though the characteristics of both soils are varied.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.699-720
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• 1995

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of benzalkonium chloride solution as a wetting agent instead of water on dentin bonding with NTG-GMA/BPDM system (All-bond 2, Bisco.) and DSDM system (Aelitebond, Bisco.). Benzalkonium chloride solution is a chemical disinfectant widely used in medical and dental clinics for preoperative preparation of skin and mucosa due to its strong effect of cationic surface active detergent. Eighty freshly extracted bovine lower incisor were grinded labially to expose flat dentin surface, and then were acid-etched with 10 % phosphoric acid for 15 second, water-rinsed, and dried for 10 second with air syringe. The specimens were randomly divided into 8 groups of 10 teeth. The specimens of control group were remoistured with water and the specimens of experimental groups were remoistured with 0.1 %, 0.5 %, and 1.0 % benzalkonium chloride solution respectively. And then, the Aelitefil composite resin was bonded to the pretreated surface of the specimens by use of All-bond 2 dentin bonding system or Aelitebond dentin bonding system in equal number of the specimens. The bonded specimens were stored in $37^{\circ}C$ distilled water for 24 hours, then the tensile bond strength was measured, the mode of failure was observed, the fractured dentin surface were examined under scanning electron microscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy was taken for the purpose of investigating the changes of the dentin surface pretreated with benzal konium chloride solution followed by each primer of the dentin bonding systems. The results were as follows : In the group of bonding with NTG-GMA/BPDM dentin bonding agent(All-bond 2), higher tensile bond strength was only seen in the experimental group remoistured with 0.1 % benzal konium chloride solution than that in water-remoistured control group(p<0.05). In the group of bonding with DSDM dentin bonding agent (Aelitebond), no significant differences were seen between the control and each one of the experimental group(p<0.05). Higher tensile bond strength were seen in NTG-GMAIBPDM dentin bonding agent group than in DSDM dentin bonding agent group regardless of remoistur ization with benzal konium chloride solution. On the examination of failure mode, cohesive and mixed failure were predominantly seen in the group of bonding with NTG-GMAIBPDM dentin bonding agent, while adhesive failure was predominantly seen in the group of bonding with DSDM dentin bonding agent. On SEM examination of fractured surfaces, no differences of findings of primed dentin surface between the groups with and without remoisturization with benzal konium chloride solution. FT-IR spectroscopy taken from the control and the experimental group reve::.led that some higher absorbance derived from the primers binding to dentin surface was seen at the group pretreated with 0.1 % benzal konium chloride solution than at the control group of remoisturizing with water.