• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.56-56
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• 2023

The cone of Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda (PRT), a plant in the Pinaceae family, has long been used in traditional medicine to treat hemostasis, bruises, and burns. Previous research has shown that regulating oxidation-reduction reactions in reactive oxygen species can help inhibit melanogenesis, the process of melanin synthesis, which is a common target for addressing hyperpigmentation. Inhibiting tyrosinase is also known to be effective in this regard. Based on these findings, we conducted an investigation into the inhibitory effect of the ethyl acetate fraction of PRT (ERT) on melanogenesis in B16 F10 cells. We know that the expression levels of melanin biosynthesis-related proteins, including tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2, are regulated by MITF (microphthalmia-associated transcription factor) and cAMP, with cAMP affecting the activity of protein kinase A (PKA). PKA can reduce melanogenesis, and CREB reduces the phosphorylation of melanin-producing enzymes. In addition, the MAPK signaling pathway, composed of ERK, JNK, p38, and other factors, is also known to play a role in the inhibition of melanogenesis in melanocytes. Our immunoblotting results showed that ERT inhibited the expression of melanin production-related proteins (tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2, and MITF) that were significantly increased by a-MSH treatment to promote melanin production. Furthermore, the phosphorylation levels of factors related to cAMP/PKA/CREB and MAPK signaling pathways were significantly reduced without affecting the total form. In conclusion, we believe that treatment with ERT can inhibit melanin synthesis by modulating the phosphorylation of cAMP/PKA/CREB and MAPK signaling pathways at the cellular level. These findings suggest the potential of ERT as a raw material for functional cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, thanks to its antioxidant activity and ability to inhibit melanogenesis. We thought that these findings of ERT as a natural plant resource will inspire further research and development in this area.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3.1-3.21
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• 2022

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and the number of cancer patients is expected to continuously increase in the future. Traditional cancer therapies focus on inhibiting cancer growth while largely ignoring the contribution of the immune system in eliminating cancer cells. Recently, better understanding of immunological mechanisms pertaining to cancer progress has led to development of several immunotherapies, which revolutionized cancer treatment. Nonetheless, only a small proportion of cancer patients respond to immunotherapy and maintain a durable response. Among multiple factors contributing to the variability of immunotherapy response rates, commensal microbiota inhabiting patients have been identified as one of the most critical factors determining the success of immunotherapy. The functional diversity of microbiota differentially affects the host immune system and controls the efficacy of immunotherapy in individual cancer patients. Moreover, clinical studies have demonstrated that changing the gut microbiota composition by fecal microbiota transplantation in patients who failed a previous immunotherapy converts them to responders of the same therapy. Consequently, both academic and industrial researchers are putting extensive efforts to identify and develop specific bacteria or bacteria mixtures for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we will summarize the immunological roles of commensal microbiota in cancer treatment and give specific examples of bacteria that show anticancer effect when administered as a monotherapy or as an adjuvant agent for immunotherapy. We will also list ongoing clinical trials testing the anticancer effect of commensal bacteria.

• 모자간호학회지
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 1992

This study was done to investigate how importantly midwives thought of Lamaze Method of Childbirth, how satisfactorily they performed their Lamaze Method of Childbirth and what inhibited their activities from being performed if not done satisfactorily. The subjects of this study were 76midwives at midwifery in Pusan, Deagu, Kyungnam and Kyungbok. Data were collected by using questionaire from Sep. 1 to Sep.30, 1991. The measurement tools was maded by the researcher based on Kim's scale for prenatal nursing activities. The statistical analysis was done with based statistical values likes frequencies, means, standard deviations and advanced methods such as Pearson's correlation coefficient, 1-test, F-test, F-test by using SPSS package program. The results of this study can be summarized as follows ; 1. The results of Investigating perception according to importance degree and performance degree of Lamaze Method of Childbring showed that midwives were slightly below both perception according to importance(2.17) and performance(2.16) of Lamaze Method of Childbirth 2. Inhibiting factors of Lamaze Method of Childbirth were abscence of husband(3.08), lack of teaching room(2.71), and lack of books or literature of Lamaze Method (2.58). 3. There appears to be a positive relation between perception according to importance degree and performance degree of Lamaze Method of Childbirth (r=0.69, P<0.01). There appears to be a negative relation between perception according to importance degree and inhibit factors of performance (r=-0.38, P<0.01). There appears to be a negative relation between performance and inhibit factors of performance (r=-0.22. P<0.01). 4. The item of highest perception defree in prenatal education is 1st, Consultation about sexual life (2.53), End, illustration of the importance of a bath and perinal cleanliness and Avoidance of excessive respiration method and also its comfortable application during uterine contractility(2.45). The item of lowest perception degree is about pregnant symptom sign and predicted date of birth (E.D.C.). On the other hand, The item of highest performance degree is education about nurtrition during pregnacy. 2nd, Illustration of the Importance of a bath and perineal cleanness(2.45). The lowest one is leaching the pregnant woman and her family about the role of husband and her family and also teaching the couple to learn exercise and respiration method (1.84). Though importance perception degree and performance degree is low. Midwives who wert subject in this research shoves that they perform general items concerning prenatal education well. 5. In the relationship between perception according to importance degree of Lamaze Method of Childbirth and the general characteristics of subjects, the differences in mean number of visiting pregnacies for 1 month. 6. In the relationship between performance degree of Lamaze Method of Childbirth and the general characteristics of subjects, the differences in age, marriage, and mean number of visiting pregnancies for 1 month. With the above information we see the importance of midwife prenatal care education and high correlation between performance degree and perception degree. When Lamaze prenatal education is well performed the number of pregnant woman who have follow-up, check-ups increase. Therefore in this research we can validity that there is a relation between Lamaze prenatal education and patient follow-up. This research showes in a situation where if one does not maximally perform a prenatal education there is a possibility that the popular use of midwife activities may encounter obstacles so the education to save new knowledge and training for prenatal education is needed as a function of Lamaze prenatal education, when a special Lamaze education is well performed for the pregnant woman, who follows-up at amidwife clinic. With the above conclusion we can suggest : 1. Continued research which minimized obstacles to Lamaze prenatal education is needed. 2. The official method of midwives is necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.13-26
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• 2010

Objectives : The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the Gamroeum water extracts (GRE) in vivo and in vitro. Methods : The effects of GRE on anti-inflammation were measured by production of NO, $PGE_2$ (Prostaglandin $E_2$), iNOS (inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase), COX-2, $NF{\kappa}B$ (Nuclear Factor kappa B), TNF-$\alpha$ (Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha) and IL-$1{\beta}$ (Interleukin-$1{\beta}$), IL-6 in Raw 264.7 macrophage cells stimulated with LPS. Results : 1. In machrophage cells, LPS displayed significant stimulatory effects on the production of NO and $PGE_2$. However, GRE showed significant inhibitory effects on NO and $PGE_2$ release. The level of NO and $PGE_2$ was decreased by GRE in a concentration dependent manner as compared with LPS only group. 2. Immunoblot analysis verified that LPS stimulation significantly increased the iNOS and COX-2 protein level, but GRE suppressed the induction of iNOS and COX-2 protein at a concentration dependent manner. 3. GRE reduced the elevated production of TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 by LPS. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of GRE was occurred in a dose-dependent manner. 4. GRE significantly reduced the expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ protein in nuclear fraction. 5. GRE effectively inhibited the increases of hind paw skin thicknesses and inflammatory cell infiltrations induced by carrageenan treatment. It, therefore, considered that GRE will be favorably inhibited the acute edematous inflammations. Conclusions : These results indicated that GRE could have anti-inflammatory capacity by inhibiting the production of NO, $PGE_2$ and cytokines in vitro and by reducing the formation of carrageenan-induced paw edema in vivo. Moreover, inhibitory effects of GRE on the macrophage activation were attributable to the reduction of some of inflammatory factors by inhibiting iNOS and COX-2 through the suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2011

Transforming growth factor ${\beta}$ (TGF-${\beta}$) is involved in cellular processes including growth, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, and homeostasis. Generally, TGF-${\beta}$ is the inhibitor of cell cycle progression and plays a role in enhancing the antagonistic effects of many growth factors. Unlike the antiproliferative effect of TGF-${\beta}$, E2, an endogeneous estrogen, is stimulating cell proliferation in the estrogen-dependent organs, which are mediated via the estrogen receptors, $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$, and may be considered as a critical risk factor in tumorigenesis of hormone-responsive cancers. Previous researches reported the cross-talk between estrogen/$ER{\alpha}$ and TGF-${\beta}$ pathway. Especially, based on the E2-mediated inhibition of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling, we examined the inhibition effect of 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) and 4-nonylphenol (NP), which are well known xenoestrogens in endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), on TGF-${\beta}$ signaling via semi-quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. The treatment of E2, OP, or NP resulted in the downregulation of TGF-${\beta}$ receptor2 (TGF-${\beta}$ R2) in TGF-${\beta}$ signaling pathway. However, the expression level of TGF-${\beta}1$ and TGF-${\beta}$ receptor1 (TGF-${\beta}$ R1) genes was not altered. On the other hand, E2, OP, or NP upregulated the expression of a cell-cycle regulating gene, c-myc, which is a oncogene and a downstream target gene of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling pathway. As a result of downregulation of TGF-${\beta}$ R2 and the upregulation of c-myc, E2, OP, or NP increased cell proliferation of BG-1 ovarian cancer cells. Taken together, these results suggest that E2 and these two EDCs may mediate cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting TGF-${\beta}$ signaling via the downregulation of TGF-${\beta}$ R2 and the upregulation of c-myc oncogene. In addition, it can be inferred that these EDCs have the possibility of tumorigenesis in estrogen-responsive organs by certainly representing estrogenic effect in inhibiting TGF-${\beta}$ signaling.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 2022

Objectives: Adipogenesis is the process by which pre-adipocytes are differentiated into adipocytes. It also plays an important role in adipocyte formation and lipid accumulation. Ranunculus sceleratus (R. sceleratus) extracts are used for the treatment of various diseases such as hepatitis, jaundice, and tuberous lymphadenitis in oriental medicine. However, its effect on adipogenesis has not yet been studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of R. sceleratus on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Methods: Cells were treated with 50, 100, and 200 ㎍/ml of R. sceleratus and cell viability was evaluated. To differentiate the 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, a 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin (MDI) solution were used. The accumulation of lipid droplets was determined by Oil Red O staining. The expression levels of adipogenesis-related proteins were also determined. Results: MDI solution differentiated the preadipocytes into adipocytes and accumulation of lipids was observed in the differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Interestingly, the amount of lipid droplets was reduced after R. sceleratus treatment. In addition, the expression levels of key adipogenic transcription factors, such as CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins-𝛼 (C/EBP-𝛼) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-𝛾 (PPAR-𝛾) were also reduced after R. sceleratus treatment. Furthermore, R. sceleratus increased AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and decreased sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 expression. Conclusions: Our results showed that R. sceleratus reduced preadipocyte differentiation by inhibiting C/EBP-𝛼 and PPAR-𝛾 levels via the AMPK pathway. Therefore, we suggest that R. sceleratus may be potentially used as an anti-adipogenic agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.295-303
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• 2023

Immune and metabolic systems are important factors in maintaining homeostasis. Immune response and metabolic regulation are highly associated, so, when the normal metabolism is disturbed, the immune response changed followed the metabolic diseases occur. Likewise, obesity is highly related to immune response. Obesity, which is caused by an imbalance in energy metabolism, is associated with metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver diseases, atherosclerosis and hypertension. As known, obesity is characterized in chronic low-grade inflammation. In obesity, the microenvironment of immune cells became inflammatory by the unique activation phenotypes of immune cells such as macrophage, natural killer cell, T cell. Also, the immune cells interact each other in cellular or cytokine mechanisms, which intensify the obesity-induced inflammatory response. This phenomenon suggests the possibility of regulating the activation of immune cells as a pharmacological therapeutic strategy for obesity in addition to the common pharmacological treatment of obesity which is aimed at inhibiting enzymes such as pancreatic lipase and α-amylase or inhibiting differentiation of preadipocytes. In this review, we summarize the activation phenotypes of macrophage, natural killer cell and T cell, and their aspects in obesity. We also summarize the pharmacological substances that alleviates obesity by regulating the activation of immune cells.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.91-109
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• 2003

The importance of repeat screening for stomach cancer is well known to decrease deaths from stomach cancer. This study was aimed at assessing practice behaviors and to identify related factors in the aspects of demographic factors, health status and cancer risk recognition, attitude to cancer screening, health behaviors, and inhibiting or facilitating factors to stomach cancer screening in an urban area. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires from 403 people aged 40 to 69 years from April 23th to May 15th, 2002. Practice behaviors were classified as : "ever" or "never", and "repeat" or "not repeat" grouped based on a recent 5 year screening history. The results were as follows: 1. Among the 403 subjects: "the ever group" was 23.8% and "the repeat group" was 4.0%, The rates of screening were 20.5% for men, 27.8% for those women, and 27.3% for aged 40-49, 24.5% for those aged 50-59, 19.0% for those aged 60-69. The rates of repeat screening were 4.0% for men, 4.1% for women, and 2.9% for those aged 40-49, 6.3% for aged 50-59, 2.5% for those aged 60-69. 2. The main factors associated with adherence to gastric cancer screening were education(post high school vs below : OR=2.44), previous cancer screening(yes vs no : OR=2.61), belief in personal health(no vs yes : OR=2.72), health status(unhealthy vs healthy : OR=3.40), possibility of cancer compared to others(low vs not low : OR=2.56), and regular exercise(yes vs no : OR=2.94). The main factor associated with adherence to gastric cancer repeat screening was other cancer screening(yes vs no : OR=6.33). Consequently, there is a need to change the recognition of the importance and necessity of stomach cancer screening in healthy conditions through health education, and to perform multiple screening tests each visit.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.390-398
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• 2017

In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey for the purpose of finding a method of mobile sector ecosystem activation targeted at small and medium businesses (SMBs). Through the total of 204 responders consisting of business employees from each mobile sector, we analyzed the factors inhibiting the development of the mobile ecosystem and preventing the activation the mobile market, as well as conducting a diagnosis of the digital potential. This paper presented suggestions for searching for a systematic supporting strategy considering the short-term inhibitory factors (market structure improvement, financial support, etc.) and long-term orientation factors (personnel nurturing, strengthening of supporting role by governmental initiative) for the activation of the domestic mobile market. After measuring the digital potential, we found that domestic mobile SMBs have perceived the importance of the digital potential and have considered and readied themselves for the future market. The present survey found that if suitable digitalization can be accomplished for their firms' products and services, they have the ability and willingness to succeed in the market. However, they have a hard task ahead of them from adigital delivery perspective given the potential for digital disruptions.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.316-322
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• 2019

Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative bacterium, is one of the risk factors that induces gastritis and gastric cancer. Therefore, much attention has been paid to the compounds that inhibit bacterial growth or eradicate bacteria. Evodiae fructus (EF), the fruit of Evodia rutaecarpa, has been used for treating diarrhea and abdominal pain. EF extract was already found to inhibit the growth of H. pylori. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effect of EF on the virulence factors of H. pylori has not been reported. In this study, when comparing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the different methanol concentration extracts, the 95% methanol extract (EF95) showed the lowest MIC value. EF95 extract suppressed the expressions of cagA, vacA and ureB, but interestingly, it up-regulated the expression of ureA. A decrease in production of ammonia in the culture medium and the cell lysates indicated that EF95 inhibited the urease activity in H. pylori, which was the result of EF95 inhibiting the ureB expression. Although the mechanism by which EF95 extract regulates the virulence factors in H. pylori needs further study, EF95 could be used for treatment of gastric troubles induced by H. pylori.