• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.14-25
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• 2016

This study aims to investigate what flowering plant Jeongjo loved, the attitudes and the reasons, and their implications. The study method was to investigate the contents and meaning in the historical records and to describe their interpretation. Jeongjo's life was consistent with very abstinent life style. His food, clothing and shelter were simple, and he did not show the interests in music, various arts and craft, women, and so on. He did not even show his interest in the flowers and plants of fairyland, beautiful flowers and plants. Jeongjo knew various kinds of flowers, and he was proficient in artistic expressions such as literature or painting with flower material. Due to this kind of attitude, there were few cases to demonstrate his taste on the specific flowering plant. The only one that Jeongjo revealed as his favorite flower was the pomegranate. However, the pomegranate was not the simple flowering plant as the subject of enjoying to Jeongjo. The pomegranate has the meaning of indicator plant to indicate the season of rice farming. Therefore, he made it to be the intermediary to indicate the farming season, which counted a few. Besides, Jeongjo who was threatened by the trials of assassination to him in his early throne period utilized 5,600 pomegranate flowerpots as the barricade of his shelter by arraying them with the type of stone piles in $B{\bar{a}}zh{\grave{e}}nt{\acute{u}}$(八陣圖). The use of Jeongjo's pomegranate flowerpots was not related to the visual utilization like ornament at all, which was very unique case. From multiple records, it was found that the pomegranate was the flower to be with Jeongjo in his period of reign. It is remarkable that the reason why Jeongjo kept pomegranate for a long time like this had the difference from enjoying practice on the ordinary flowering plant. This study has the limitation to be conducted depending on the Korean translated data. Further studies are required according to the translation performance of new historical records.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.159-184
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• 1988

Race and ethnicity are important factors which influence the elderIy's residential adjustment behaviors, although it is unclear whether this reflects influences unrelated to race and ethnlcity. Culturally, the norm of family supportoften obseved among various minority ethnic groups is likely to provide flexible family suppof for the elderIy. Economically, the life-long hardship ofminority groups is likely to force them to maintain extended family living arrangements simply to reduce expenses via economies of scale. Thecontroversy about the economic need versus the cultural prescription forextended living arrangements remains unresoIved because it fails to articulatethe meaning of family supports among many disadvantaged groups.This study aims to test previous economic and cultural arguments, byexamining ethnic differences iu the eiderIy's responsiveness to their health andeconomic problems. Two hypotheses about cultural influences on the elderly's resideutiai adjustment are examined. First, do elderly minorities receive famiiysupporis for longer periods when they are poor if economic and health status\ulcorner Second, do elderiy minorities receive family supports more often when their health status declines\ulcorner Using the Longitudinal Suvey on Aging from 1984 to 1990. this study employs Markovian multi-state life tables, and discrete and contonuous competing hazard analyses for the transition in living arrangements. The main results provide substantial evidence against the cultural resource thesis. Elderly minorities experience more frequent transition between living alone and living with relatives than white elderly persons when group differences in the extent of mortality and insititutionalization are controlled. The shorter timf of living alone among elderly monorities stems from their greater likehood of joining relatives as well as greater mortality and attrition rates than elderly whites. Coresidence of elderly whites with their relatives is more likely to occur in response to their needs for health care than of elderly whites. it implies that instability. not flezibility. characterrizes elderly minorities living arrangements.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.885-897
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• 2021

Schisandrae Fructus (SF) and Corni Fructus (CF) have been used for a long time for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Although reports have highlighted the possibility of inhibiting the onset and progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), studies on related mechanisms are still lacking. In this study, we investigated the potential of SF and CF in improving BPH by using a dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced in vitro BPH model using LNCaP prostate carcinoma cells. According to our results, water and ethanol extracts of SF and CF significantly inhibited the proliferation of LNCaP cells by DHT treatment and markedly downregulated the expression of DHT-induced BPH biomarkers and growth factors. They also regulated the expression of apoptosis regulatory factors and significantly reduced DHT-mediated oxidative stress. In addition, the protective effect on major factors involved in the pathogenesis of BPH was more effective in the ethanol extract treatment group than in the water extract group. Furthermore, the improvement effect on BPH was higher in the 1:1 combined treatment group than in the ethanol extract alone treatment group of SF and CF, and 60% ethanol extracts showed a better effect than 40% ethanol extracts. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that SF and CF can protect against BPH by preventing the hyperproliferation of prostate cells through the inhibition of the androgen signaling pathway, which was correlated with their antioxidant activities. Therefore, SF and CF extracts may be useful in the clinical treatment of BPH, and the combination of these two extracts can be synergistic.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.787-795
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• 2021

Eupatorium chinensis var. simplicifolium (EUC) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Young sprouts of EUC have been used as food for a long time, and the whole EUC plant has been used as an herbal remedy in oriental medicine. Arteriosclerosis, or chronic inflammation in arterial vessels, is a cardiovascular disease and is involved in various disorders. Cardiovascular diseases such as restenosis and neuropathic hyperplasia are mainly caused by abnormal growth and movement due to multiple growth factors in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a mitogen released from damaged vessel walls and is involved in the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. To determine the effects of EUC on the abnormal proliferation and migration of VSMCs, the present study investigated intracellular signaling pathways in PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs treated with and without EUC. Pretreating PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs with EUC tended to effectively decrease cell proliferation and migration. Subsequently, the intracellular growth-related signaling pathways of AKT, phospholipase C gamma (PLC-γ), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were investigated using western blotting to confirm inhibited phosphorylation. Furthermore, flow cytometry data showed that EUC blocked the cell cycle of VSMCs. These results suggest that EUC can inhibit the proliferation and migration of VSMCs by controlling the cell cycle and growth factor receptors. Furthermore, this indicates that EUC can be used as a preventative against cardiovascular disease resulting from abnormal proliferation and migration of VSMCs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.402-409
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• 2019

Korean red ginseng made from steaming and drying fresh ginseng has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine due to its effects on the immune, endocrine, and central nerve systems and its anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of a formulated Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) in response to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a cell wall component of gram-positive bacteria. RGE inhibited LTA-induced nitric oxide (NO) secretion and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in BV-2 microglial cells, without affecting cell viability. RGE also inhibited nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65 and degradation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. In addition, RGE increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effect of RGE on iNOS expression was abrogated by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of HO-1. Moreover, RGE induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates HO-1 expression. Furthermore, the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI-3K) inhibitor and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors suppressed RGE-mediated expression of HO-1, and RGE enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), p38, and c-JUN N-terminal kinases (JNKs). These results suggested that RGE suppressed the production of NO, a proinflammatory mediator, by inducing HO-1 expression via PI-3K/Akt- and MAPK-dependent signaling in LTA-stimulated microglia. The findings indicate that RGE could be used for the treatment of neuroinflammation induced by grampositive bacteria and that it may have therapeutic potential for various neuroinflammation-associated disorders.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.688-696
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• 2019

This study investigated changes in triglyceride and cholesterol synthesis and tyrosinase activity induced by ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.) extract, which cannot be stored for long periods of time due to its high moisture content when it was fermented to improve its storage stability. The accumulation of triglyceride and cholesterol in HepG2 cells inhibited the accumulation with a relatively large magnitude in n-butanol and aqueous fractions that generally have high polarity, however, changes in inhibition potency due to the fermentation were not significant. As for the effect to inhibit tyrosinase activity, when L-tyrosine was used as a substrate, the inhibitory activity was the highest for the aqueous fraction at $60.58{\pm}4.03%$ and $63.35{\pm}4.35%$, before and after fermentation, respectively, which amounted to 72% of that of the positive control group (arbutin, $100{\mu}g/ml$). In addition, when L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) was used as a substrate, the inhibitory activity was also found the highest for the aqueous fraction at $56.85{\pm}1.57%$ and $59.38{\pm}1.74%$, before and after fermentation, respectively, which amounted to at least 88% of that in the positive control (kojic acid, $100{\mu}g/ml$). Overall, the activity of the fermented ice plant extract was similar or a little higher compared to that of the one without fermentation, indicating that fermentation can be a good approach to improve the storage stability of the ice plant.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.747-753
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• 2019

Cognitive decline is characterized by reduced long-/short-term memory and attention span, and increased depression and anxiety. Such decline is associated with various degenerative brain disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The increases in elderly populations suffering from cognitive decline create social problems and impose economic burdens, and also pose safety threats; all of these problems have been extensively researched over the past several decades. Possible causes of cognitive decline include metabolic and hormone imbalance, infection, medication abuse, and neuronal changes associated with aging. However, no treatment for cognitive decline is available. In neurodegenerative diseases, changes in the gut microbiota and gut metabolites can alter molecular expression and neurobehavioral symptoms. Changes in the gut microbiota affect memory loss in AD via the downregulation of NMDA receptor expression and increased glutamate levels. Furthermore, the use of probiotics resulted in neurological improvement in an AD model. PD and gut microbiota dysbiosis are linked directly. This interrelationship affected the development of constipation, a secondary symptom in PD. In a PD model, the administration of probiotics prevented neuron death by increasing butyrate levels. Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been identified in AD and PD. Increased BBB permeability is also associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, which led to the destruction of microtubules via systemic inflammation. Notably, metabolites of the gut microbiota may trigger either the development or attenuation of neurodegenerative disease. Here, we discuss the correlation between cognitive decline and the gut microbiota.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1104-1110
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• 2019

Recently, there has been an increase in the elderly population of the world. Consequently, bone metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis are emerging as a social problem. Osteoclasts play a role in bone resorption, and osteoporosis is induced when bone resorption occurs excessively. Because currently used bone resorption inhibitors may cause side effects when used for a long period of time, it is necessary to develop a new material that effectively inhibits osteoclast differentiation. This study aimed to confirm the inhibitory effect of ethanol extract of Locusta migratoria on RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and its mechanism. The toxicity and proliferation effects of LME on RAW264.7 osteoclasts were measured by an MTS assay. There was no cytotoxicity or proliferation when the osteoclasts were treated with up to $2,000{\mu}g/ml$ of LME. In order to confirm the effect of LME on the differentiation of osteoclasts, osteoclasts were treated with RANKL alone or with LME for 3 days. As a result of a TRAP (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase) assay, the increasing osteoclast differentiation by RANKL decreased in a concentration-dependent manner with the treatment of LME. In addition, LME suppressed the expression of differentiation-related marker genes (TRAP, RANK, NFATc1, and CK) and proteins (NFATc1 and c-Src) that had been increased by RANKL. Also, LME influenced the $NF-{\kappa}B$, ERK and JNK signaling pathways, resulting in the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation. These results suggest that LME may be used as a novel functional material for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by playing a role in inhibiting bone absorption.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.42
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• pp.197-232
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• 2014

Taoism is very political orientation from the start have. Internal alchemy has several factions, but southern school and northern school of taoism is typical of this. southern school begun from Zhang Bo-duan in north Song dynasty. Northern school is under Jin dynasty rule by Wang Chung-yang been established. Southern school did not create the platform, but northern school is developed mainly by the denomination from the first. Taoism is basically seek eternal life. Internal alchemy was created a unique discipline to reach the such stage with only Internal alchemy. Southern school's training methods were an elaborate series of logical structure with a counterpart, but northern school's methods is somewhat lacking logically. Southern school claim a training methods from the physical to mental through how to achieve it's ultimate goals, northern school took from mental to spiritual retreat methods that the way to achieve objectives. But northern school's theory of ascetic Practice is difficult to see that the contents are pure. Also, the labours of penance during his training process is the other way with Southern school. These differences are they closely associated with Confucianism and Buddhism, to understand the point of view. Southern school put a primary objective in the personal Practice, while northern school is fundamental to the relief of the people. This can see that has how long life times in southern school and northern school's main members. Because the members of southern school enjoyed great longevity, but northern school's main members was not enjoyed longevity. As a result, the southern school's flow is cut off and northern school became the center form a major organization in the history of china taoism. The southern school assimilated to the northern school. In a pure sense, host and guest's changed.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2019

This study was carried out to acquire basic data for a long-term hydroponic culture through investigating water and inorganic ion uptake characteristics at different EC level of nutrient solution of three tomato varieties. Three different tomato varieties, the European type(cv. Daphnis), the Asian type(cv. Super Doterang) and cherry type(cv. Minichal), were used for the investigation. Also, the deep flow technique(DFT) was applied. The three different electrical conductivity(EC) level(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 dS·m-1) of hydroponic nutrient solution were used as variable. At a high EC level of nutrient solution, the leaf area and fresh weight decreased in the early stage, and its growth(plant height, leaf number, leaf area, fresh-weight) was poor with salt stress. Result showed that the higher the EC level of the nutrient solution, the lesser was water uptake. The water uptake was not significantly different from varieties in the first survey, but In the second survey, the 'Daphnis' did not show a significant decrease in water uptake in the EC level higher than 2.0 dS·m-1., on the other hand, 'Super Doterang' presented very low water uptake. At a low EC level, N, P, and K, were absorbed more than the concentration of the irrigation water, while Ca, Mg, S uptake were low. At a high EC level, almost ions absorbed less than 50% of the initial concentration of irrigation water. Thus, imbalance among ions was severe at low EC level compared to high EC level. 'Daphnis' was a variety that effectively utilize nutrients under nutrient stress, showing high absorption at low concentration condition and low absorption at high concentration condition. However, 'Daphnis' suffered most seriously by absorbing nutrients excessively.