• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.160-169
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• 2013

Objectives: This survey was performed to investigate attitudes of western medicine doctors (WMD) and Korean medicine doctors (KMD) toward Korean medicine education (KME) to provide basic data for developing effective KME programs. Methods: We selected study objects in western medicine (WM) - Korean medicine (KM) collaborative institutions and structured questionnaires were administered to both WMD and KMD for comparison. The data from 167 WMD and 135 KMD were analyzed statistically by frequency, ${\chi}^2$ test and T-test analysis. Results: 61.1% of WMD have never experienced KME and 15% were not interested in cooperative practices and research. Most KME was done in medical schools (45%) and only 5% in residency education. WMD interested or experienced in cooperation have had more KME than the uninterested and inexperienced groups. Intentions of WMD to cooperative practices and research made a difference on the willingness to take KME, while relevant experiences didn't. WMD and KMD differed in ideas about major KME topics; WMD put the greatest emphasis on the herb-drug interaction, while KMD did on KM diagnosis and treatment. They also have different views on the optimal KME course load. Conclusions: For successful collaboration, more continuing KME and motivation for cooperation is required for WMD. Improvements are also needed in the form and contents of KME to meet the demands of learners.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.324-330
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• 2015

In this study, the anti-diabetic activity of a cold water extract of Korean mistletoe (KME) was investigated in C57BL/6J Lep ob (ob/ob) mice. Oral administration of KME (50 or 100 mg/kg/d) significantly inhibited the level of blood glucose of ob/ob mice after 5 days from the beginning of KME treatment. And the anti-diabetic effect of KME was stabilized 10 days after oral administration, showing a substantial reduction of blood glucose levels by more than 20% as compared with control mice. The results of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) revealed that oral administration of KME gave rise to a remarkable improvement in overall glucose response. Oral administration of KME in ob/ob diabetic mice also significantly reduced blood total cholesterol (TCHO) and triglyceride (TG) levels compared with the diabetic control mice. Moreover, in an in vitro experiment using C2C12 myotubes, treatment of KME prominently increased glucose uptake. Interestingly, KME significantly increased the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-${\alpha}$ ($PGC-1{\alpha}$), a head regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism, and $PGC-1{\alpha}$-associated genes such as glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), estrogen-related receptor-${\alpha}$ ($ERR-{\alpha}$), nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TmfA) in C2C12 cells. These results suggest that KME has potential as a novel therapeutic agent for diabetes, and its anti-diabetic activity may be related to the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.371-377
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• 2017

Muscle atrophy is characterized by a decrease in the mass of the muscle. With an increase in life expectancy and chronic illnesses, the incidence of muscle atrophy is increasing and the quality of life of patients is decreasing. Thus, reducing muscle atrophy is of high clinical and socio-economic importance. Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that has been used as a traditional medicine in many countries to treat various human illnesses. It has been reported that Korean mistletoe extract (KME) has diverse biological functions including anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity properties, and extension of lifespan. Especially, we have recently reported that KME improves exercise endurance in mice, indicating its beneficial roles in enhancing the capacity of skeletal muscle. In this study, we investigated whether KME could activate the signaling pathway related to protein synthesis in a mouse model of muscle atrophy. Interestingly, KME efficiently activated the Akt/mTOR pathway, and Akt and mTOR are important signaling hub molecules for the acceleration of protein synthesis in muscle cells. In addition, KME also increased the activity of S6 kinase which is involved in the regulation of muscle cell size. Moreover, the ERK activity, required for transcription of ribosomal RNA for protein synthesis, was also enhanced in KME-treated mouse muscle. These data support the idea that KME increases muscle mass via increased protein synthesis. Our findings also suggest that Korean mistletoe might be a promising candidate for the development of functional foods that are beneficial for preventing muscle atrophy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.430-439
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• 2014

This study was performed to assess the perception and needs of the traditional Korean Medical Equipment (KME) in clinic. We conducted survey research among 15,550 traditional Korean medical doctors (KMD) responded to e-mail during 2 weeks. 899 participants the survey, consisting of questions regarding 'number of devices of the KME' and 'solution and improvement plan of the KME'. The participants were asked to choose their ranking of problems of the KME and also put a check mark in the column that the reasons for this choice. As results, final scores in priority ranking medical devices were derived in 7 categories. Physical therapy equipment and acupuncture treatment devices were included in high ranks. 42.8 % of the participants responded that the diagnostic medical devices seemed important in clinics and 67.4 % of the participants indicated that the therapeutic medical devices seemed to important in clinics. The identified problems of KME were 'low reproducibility and reliability of a diagnosis result (24.8%)' and 'uncertain validity of a diagnostic medical devices (20.5%)'. The improvement plan of the problems were 'to establish the law for using the medical devices (26.6%)' and 'evaluation of validity of the KME (26.2%)'. A survey of KMD revealed the condition of KME's number of devices and the solution plan for the problem of several KMEs. Understanding the needs of KMD could probably contribute to the research and development of KMEs in the future.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.310-315
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• 2008

Viscum album coloratum (Korean mistletoe; KM) is a semi-parasitic plant growing on various trees. This plant hasbeen shown to possess a variety of biological functions such as immunomodulation, apoptosis-induction and antitumor activity. However, there is no information about how the extract of KM affects life span of the host. In this study, in order to examine the effect of KM on the longevity of the host, we investigated whether a Korean mistletoe extract (KME) was able to extend the life length in an experimental model using the spring silkworm moth of Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera bombycidae). We established a model test for survival in which all of the male and female moths died within 18 days after the beginning of the experiment. Mean survival time of female moths was longer than that of male moths. Both male and female moths fed with KME containing diet (200 or 400 ${\mu}g$/head/day) showed significantly higher mean survival times than those of the control moths. Studying the effect of KME on prolongation of mean survival time showed that male moths were more susceptible than female moths. The moths fed with KME-containing diet showed a slight decrease in body weight. Interestingly, however, no difference in food intake was observed between moths fed with KME-containing diet and those with control diet. In analysis for mRNA increase in the SIRT2 gene, a member of the Sir2 gene family playing important roles in regulation of cell death and prolongation of life span, moths fed with KME-containing diet showed a significant increase in SIRT2 gene expression. These results suggest that KME has a potential to extend the life span in Bombyx mori, and its effect is partly associated with increase in SIRT2 gene expression.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.445-451
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is positively associated with atherosclerosis via elevating macrophage cell death and plaque formation, in which oxidative stress plays a pivotal role. Antioxidative, lipid-lowering, and anti-atherogenic effects of kimchi, a Korean fermented vegetable, have been established, wherein capsaicin, ascorbic acid, quercetin, 3-(4'-hydroxyl-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid, and lactic acids were identified. In this study, mechanisms of action of kimchi methanol extracts (KME) on fatty streak formation via suppression of ER stress and apoptosis in aorta were examined in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice fed a high cholesterol diet with an oral administration of KME (KME group, $200 mg{\cdot}kg-bw^{-1}{\cdot}day^{-1}$) or distilled water (control group) for 8 weeks (n = 20 for group). Plasma lipid and oxidative stress levels were evaluated. Protein expression was measured by western blot assay. Fatty streak lesion size and the degree of apoptosis were examined in the aorta. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, in the KME group, plasma lipids levels were decreased and oxidative stress was alleviated (P < 0.05). Protein expression levels of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2-mediated antioxidants in aorta were increased whereas those for ER stress markers, glucose regulated protein 78, phospho-protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase, phospho-eukaryotic initiation factor 2 subunit ${\alpha}$, X-box binding protein 1, and C/EBP homologous protein were decreased in the KME group (P < 0.05). Moreover, apoptosis was suppressed via downregulation of phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase, bcl-2-associated X protein, caspases-9, and -3 with a concomitant upregulation of anti-apoptotic protein, B-cell lymphoma 2 (P < 0.05). Fatty streak lesion size was reduced and the degree of apoptosis was less severe in the KME group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, antioxidant activity of KME might prevent fatty streak formation through, in part, inhibition of ER stress and apoptosis in aortic sinus where macrophages are harbored.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 2013

Objectives : Gokgisaeng (Korean mistletoe) is used for the treatment of inflammatory and cancer diseases in traditional Korean medicine and its major component lectins have been reported to induce nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and also induce apoptosis of various types of cancer cells, although its modulatory effects on cancer cell migration and macrophage activation is poorly understood. The aim of this study is to clarify molecular mechanisms of action responsible for the anti-inflammatory and antitumor migration potentials of Korean mistletoe extract (KME). Methods : We investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of KME on NO production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in both RAW 264.7 macrophages and rat C6 glioma cells, and also evaluated inhibitory efficacy on glioma cell growth and migration. For assessment, XTT assay, nitrite assay, RT-PCR, scratch-wound and Boyden chamber assay, and western blot analysis were performed. Results : Previously reported, unlike the efficacy of Gokgisaeng lectin, KME inhibited NO production and iNOS expression, and suppressed pro-inflammatory mediators including IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, COX-2, iNOS in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, KME suppressed tumor cell growth and migration, and it also inhibited LPS-induced NO release and iNOS activation by down-regulating expression of protein kinase C (PKC) and phosphorylation of ERK in C6 glioma cells. Conclusions : Our research findings provide evidence that KME can play a significant role in blocking pro-inflammatory reaction and malignant progression of tumors through the suppression of NO/iNOS by down-regulating of inflammatory signaling pathways, PKC/ERK.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2014

Termites are wood pests that cause vast economic damage every year. They digest both cellulose and starch, but the enzymes for starch digestion have not been well characterized. We obtained complete amino acid sequence information on the KME1 ${\alpha}$-amylase from Reticulitermes speratus KMT1 through analysis of total mRNA sequences. The KME1 enzyme has two ${\alpha}$-amylase domains and is 68% identical to the ${\alpha}$-amylase from Blattellager manica, its closest relative in the GenBank database. Some unique features of its conserved region and its distant evolutionary relationship to other insect ${\alpha}$-amylases suggest that KME1 is a new type of ${\alpha}$-amylase.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.614-626
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• 2006

Using the data of three environmental monitoring sites in Pohang area(KME112, KME113, and KME114), statistical forecasting models of the daily maximum and mean values of PM10 have been developed. Since the distributions of the daily maximum and mean PM10 values are skewed, which are similar to the Weibull distribution, these values were log-transformed to increase prediction accuracy by approximating the normal distribution. Three statistical forecasting models, which are regression, neural networks(NN) and support vector regression(SVR), were built using the log-transformed response variables, i.e., log(max(PM10)) or log(mean (PM10)). Also, the forecasting models were validated by the measure of RMSE, CORR, and IOA for the model comparison and accuracy. The improvement rate of IOA before and after the log-transformation in the daily maximum PM10 prediction was 12.7% for the regression and 22.5% for NN. In particular, 42.7% was improved for SVR method. In the case of the daily mean PM10 prediction, IOA value was improved by 5.1% for regression, 6.5% for NN, and 6.3% for SVR method. As a conclusion, SVR method was found to be performed better than the other methods in the point of the model accuracy and fitness views.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2003

The compost dextrose(CD) medium was selected a an optimum liquid culture media for Portobella(Agaricus brunescens). The optimal conditions for the mycelial growth of Agaricus brunescens were 25 and pH 7.0. Sucrose and soluble starch were favorable to mycelial growth. Malt extract and ammonium nitrate appeared to be more favorable than the other kinds of nitrogen source. The optimum C/N ratio as about 10.When the collected Portobella trains were compared with growth characteristics, KME 49007 appeared the highest of $44.6kg/3.3m^2$.