• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2010

In the present study, we investigated whether a gross deletion in the nef gene ($g{\Delta}nef$) is induced by Korean red ginseng (KRG) intake. Ten patients were treated with KRG powder for 3 years in the absence of antiretroviral drug therapy. On average, $3,555{\pm}1,042\;g$ KRG was administered per person over $36.1{\pm}2.4$ months. There was a mild decrease in CD4 T cell count ($75{\pm}110/{\mu}L$) over the $36.1{\pm}2.4$ months (p = 0.059). We obtained 355 nef amplicons using 71 peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples over a 3-year period. All ten patients exhibited g${\Delta}$nef (range, 3.2 to 45.9%). At baseline, 3 of 78 amplicons (3.8%) exhibited $g{\Delta}nef$, whereas 18.8% (52/277) revealed $g{\Delta}nef$ during KRG-intake (p<0.001). The proportion of $g{\Delta}nef$ was significantly correlated with monthly dose of KRG (r=0.89, p<0.001). The median time for first detection of $g{\Delta}nef$ was 13 months. In conclusion, our data show that $g{\Delta}nef$ is inducible by KRG intake and its proportion is dependent on the duration of KRG intake and dose of KRG.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.40-51
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• 2006

To investigate the association between Korean red ginseng (KRG) intake in HIV-1 infected patients and occurrence of grossly deleted nef genes ($g{\Delta}nef$), we characterized nef genes in 10 long-term slow progressors (LTSP) infected with HIV-1 subtype B and 34 control patients. LTSP was defined whose the annual decrease in CD4 T cells was less than $20/{\mu}l$ over 10 years in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. They were treated with KRG for a prolonged period. Nef genes were amplified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using nested PCR and products were sequenced directly. Patient CD4 T cell counts decreased from $444{\pm}207/{\mu}l$ to $294{\pm}177/{\mu}l$ over $136{\pm}23$ months of KRG intake. This corresponds to an annual decrease in the level of CD4 T cells of $13.3/{\mu}l$. A total of 479 nef genes were amplified from 137 PBMC samples. Nine out of the 10 patients, 47 (34.3%) out of the 137 samples, and 92 out of the 479 genes revealed $g{\Delta}nef$. The deletion extended outside the nef gene in 25 $g{\Delta}nef$ obtained from 6 patients. The proportion of samples with $g{\Delta}nef$ (34.3%) was significantly higher than 4.8% in control patients (P<0.001). In addition, it significantly increased as the duration of KRG intake prolongs (P<0.01). These data suggest the possibility that occurrence of $g{\Delta}nef$ might be associated with long-term intake of KRG.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 2017

Background: The presence of gross deletions in the human immunodeficiency virus nef gene ($g{\Delta}nef$) is associated with long-term nonprogression of infected patients. Here, we investigated how quickly genetic defects in the nef gene are associated with Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) intakein 10 long-term slow progressors. Methods: This study was divided into three phases over a 20-yr period; baseline, KRG intake alone, and KRG plus highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART). nef gene amplicons were obtained using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR from 10 long-term slow progressors (n = 1,396), and nested PCR from 36 control patients (n = 198), and 28 ART patients (n = 157), and these were then sequenced. The proportion of $g{\Delta}nef$, premature stop codons, and not in-frame insertion or deletion of a nucleotide was compared between three phases, control, and ART patients. Results: The proportion of defective nef genes was significantly higher in on-KRG patients (15.6%) than in baseline (5.7%), control (5.6%), on-KRG plus ART phase (7.8%), and on-ART patients (6.6%; p < 0.01). Small in-frame deletions or insertions were significantly more frequent among patients treated with KRG alone compared with controls (p < 0.01). Significantly fewer instances of genetic defects were detected in samples taken during the KRG plus ART phase (7.8%; p < 0.01). The earliest defects detected were $g{\Delta}nef$ and small in-frame deletions after 7 mo and 67 mo of KRG intake, respectively. Conclusion: KRG treatment might induce genetic defects in the nef gene. This report provides new insight into the importance of genetic defects in the pathogenesis of AIDS.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.277-277
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• 1994

Human immunodeficiency virus type (HIV-1 )은 복사에 필수적인 전사촉진단질유전자인 tat를 가지고 있다. 우리는 유전자 재조합기법을 사용하여 tat 유전자와 nef 유전자가 결핍된 HIV-1을 제조하였다. nef, tat-결핍 HIV-1 은 C $D_4$$^{+T}$ 세포에서 전혀 복제를 하지 못하였다. 반면, tat 단백질을 발현하도록 만들어진 재조합 Jurkat-tat세포에서는 복제능력을 다시 회복함을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 nef, tat-결핍 바이러스를 Jurkat-tat 세포에서 두달이상 계대배양했을 때, revertant가 전혀 생기지 않았다. 또한, nef, tat- 결핍 HIV-1 에 chloramphenicol acetyltransferase 유전자를 삽입시키고, 이의 발현정도를 측정함으로써 원형바이러스와 마찬가지로 민감하면서도 안전하고 편리하게 바이러스의 복제를 측정할 수 있었다. nef, tat- 결핍 바이러스는 항 HIV-1 제의 활성도를 측정하고자할 때 원형 바이러스의 대용으로 안전하게 사용될 수 있을것이다.다.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.211-217
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• 2000

Nef is a lentiviral protein involved in pathogenesis of AIDS, but its molecular mechanism of action remains incompletely understood. Here we report the isolation of the interacting protein with the HIV-1 Nef, using the yeast two hybrid system for expression cloning. One of the positive colonies was selected as the final candidate for the interacting protein gene. The nucleotide sequencing revealed that this interacting protein is Human Ikaros/LyF-1. This protein interacted with the C-terminal region of Nef specifically in yeast system, not with the N-terminal region. This interaction was also confirmed by in vitro binding assay.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.195-199
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• 2011

Purpose: Composite neuroendocrine-exocrine carcinomas are malignancies that have two distinct components residing within the same tumor: an adenocarcinomatous portion and a neuroendocrine portion. This is rare in gastric cancers; however, poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas can sometimes reveal evidence of neuroendocrine features (NEF) or be 'mixed endocrine and exocrine carcinomas'. This study aimed to review NEF in gastric adenocarcinoma and to evaluate its prognostic significance. Materials and Methods: We selected 29 patients who were diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma with NEF and received gastrectomies at the Department of Surgery, Ajou University Hospital between January 2001 and December 2009. We analyzed the clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer with NEF and the prognosis associated with such tumors. Results: The pathologic result with respect to TNM staging of the gastric cancers with NEF were as follows: 5 cases of T1, 5 cases of T2, 10 cases of T3, and 9 cases of T4. There were 7 cases of N0, 7 cases of N1, 8 cases of N2 and 7 cases of N3. The staging of patients with NEF was higher than that of patients without NEF. Especially tumor lymphovascular invasion rate was 82.8%. The overall survival of patients with gastric cancer characterized by NEF was 73.8 months. Conclusions: Positive NEF status might be correlated with clinicopathologic parameters such as a high stage and high frequency of regional lymph node metastasis.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.319-320
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• 2019

We have developed simple and reliable new habitat plants system with natural enemies names as "Natural Enemy in First (NEF)" method. As a result, NEF without monitoring and release of just natural enemy with monitoring showed higher bio-control effects, i.e., 83% and 70%, respectively than environmental friendly agricultural material (EFAM) treatment. In addition, the average population density of predatory mites on NEF method was higher (three times) than other treatment.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.407-408
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• 2020

We studied the efficacy of the 'Natural Enemy in First (NEF)' technology in controlling thrips and aphids in tomato greenhouses, relative to the natural enemy and conventional chemical treatments. This technology combined the use of natural enemies of the pests (parasites/predators) with their food sources/habitats, and the treatment commenced at the time of planting. The 'NEF' technology, for the control of thrips, had an efficacy 32% higher than the natural enemy treatment, and 82% higher than the conventional chemical treatment. The average population density of aphids after the treatment was not significantly different among all treatments.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.345-346
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• 2023

Natural Enemy in First (NEF) method is an ecological engineering application technology for natural enemies and was applied to strawberry in a smart farm-type greenhouse to evaluate its effect on the density of thrips and aphids. The control group was treated with pesticide and compared with the NEF treatment group, in which Orius minutus and Portulaca sp. were used as a natural enemy and habitats for thrips and aphids. The density of pests in the NEF group was effectively managed and similar to that in the control group.

• Communications of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2008

For a nef and big divisor D on a smooth projective surface S, the inequality $h^{0}$(S;$O_{s}(D)$) ${\leq}\;D^2\;+\;2$ is well known. For a nef and big canonical divisor KS, there is a better inequality $h^{0}$(S;$O_{s}(K_s)$) ${\leq}\;\frac{1}{2}{K_{s}}^{2}\;+\;2$ which is called the Noether inequality. We investigate an inequality $h^{0}$(S;$O_{s}(D)$) ${\leq}\;\frac{1}{2}D^{2}\;+\;2$ like Clifford theorem in the case of a curve. We show that this inequality holds except some cases. We show the existence of a counter example for this inequality. We prove also the base-locus freeness of the linear system in the exceptional cases.