• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.583-590
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• 2021

Background: Gintonin, isolated from ginseng, acts as a ginseng-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand and elicits the [Ca²⁺]_i transient through six LPA receptor subtypes (LPARSs). However, the long-term effects of gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) on the gene expression of six LPARSs remain unknown. We examined changes in the gene expression of six LPA receptors in the mouse whole brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen, small intestine, colon, and testis after long-term oral GEF administration. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups: control vehicle and GEF (100 mg/kg, p.o.). After 21-day saline or GEF treatment, total RNA was extracted from nine mouse organs. Quantitative-real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were performed to quantify changes in the gene and protein expression of the six LPARSs, respectively. Results: qRT-PCR analysis before GEF treatment revealed that the LPA6 RS was predominant in all organs except the small intestine. The LPA2 RS was most abundant in the small intestine. Long-term GEF administration differentially regulated the six LPARSs. Upon GEF treatment, the LPA6 RS significantly increased in the liver, small intestine, colon, and testis but decreased in the whole brain, heart, lungs, and kidneys. Western blot analysis of the LPA6 RS confirmed the differential effects of GEF on LPA6 receptor protein levels in the whole brain, liver, small intestine, and testis. Conclusion: The LPA6 receptor was predominantly expressed in all nine organs examined; long-term oral GEF administration differentially regulated LPA3, LPA4, and LPA6 receptors in the whole brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, small intestine, and testis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.88-94
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• 2021

The seaweed, Gracilaria verrucosa (red seaweed) was fermented to produce bioethanol. Optimal thermal acid hydrolysis conditions were determined as 200 mM H₂SO₄ and 10% (w/v) seaweed slurry at 130℃ for 60 min yielding 47.5% of pretreatment efficiency (E_p). After the thermal acid hydrolysis, enzymatic saccharification was carried out with 16 U/ml Viscozyme L, Cellic CTec2 or mixture of Viscozyme L and Cellic CTec2 to G. verrucosa hydrolysates. Enzymatic saccharifications with Viscozyme, Cellic CTec2 or mixture of those yielded 7.3 g/l glucose with efficiency of saccharification, E_s = 34.9%, 11.6 g/l glucose with E_s = 64.4% and the mixture of those 9.6 g/l glucose with E_s = 56.6%, respectively. Therefore, based on the E_s value, Cellic CTec2 was selected for the optimal enzyme for enzymatic saccharification of G. verrucosa hydrolysate. The ethanol productions with non-adapted S. cerevisiae CEN-PK2 (wild type) and S. cerevisiae CEN-PK2 with adaptive evolution to galactose produced 8.5 g/l ethanol with Y_EtOH = 0.19 and 21.5 g/l ethanol with Y_EtOH = 0.50 at 144 h, respectively. From these results, the ethanol production by S. cerevisiae with adaptive evolution showed high concentration of ethanol production using G. verrucosa as a substrate.

• Journal of vocational education research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.107-132
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of learning achievement by comparing project approach group and the control group on the unit of growing flowers and vegetables in practical arts education. For this purpose, the experimental study on the unit of growing flowers and vegetables was achieved with 63 students(5th grade 2 classes) in S elementary school. The project approach model (Chung, Sung-bong) was applied to the experimental group, and the traditional model to the control group. To verify the effects of each class, nonequivalent control group post test-only design was applied 10 times. The SPSSWIN(ver 12. 0. 1) was used for analyzing the frequency and t-tests. The results of this study were as follows ; First, there was significant effect of learning achievement(cognitive domain) in the project approach groups. In addition, learning achievement of the experimental group has been showed significant difference about intellectual function and ability but not about knowledge. Second, there was significant effect of learning achievement(psychomotor domain) in the project approach groups. In other words, there has been showed significant difference in basic skill and integrated skill for growing flowers and vegetables but not in elemental skill for planting. Third, as the post test, there existed significant effect(affective domain) in the project approach groups. In other words, there was a meaningful difference in acceptance, value, belief, actualization but not in interest. Based on these results, It is believed that the project approach model in the unit of 'growing flowers and vegetables' is more effective than the traditional learning method in learning achievement of learners' cognitive, psychomotor and affective domain.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.391-405
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• 2020

Leaching chracteristics of Andong-dam sediment was conducted for heavy metal and nutrients. Five mixed sediment samples were prepared and leaching was conducted under aerobic and anaerobic condition for 60 days. Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Hg, As, Fe, Mn, phosphorus, and nitrogen were analyzed at each sampling time. The leaching rate of phosphorus was higher in anaerobic condition comparing with that of under aerobic condition. Some samples showed higher than the water-quality level IV. In case of As and Cd which showed highest contamination level in the sediment, leached concentration were 0.028 mg/L and 0.003 mg/L in maximum, respectively. The leached concentration is below than the lake water quality standard of Korea. Other heavy metals including Cu, Pb, and Cr also showed similar trend. Five step sequential extraction showed that easily extractable 1-2 step portion such as ion-exchangeable and adsorbed one was less than 10% and the most of the portion was residual. For As and Cd, the residual portion were 80% and 95% respectively indicating the risk by the heavy metal leaching into the lake for a short period was not high in comparing with the contamination levels.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.209-217
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• 2022

In this study, Enterococcus faecalis BMSE-HMP005 isolated from human breast milk demonstrated antimicrobial effects against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. The bacteriocin produced by E. faecalis BMSE-HMP005 was fractionated using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. This fraction showed antimicrobial effects against both gram-positive and gram-negative MDR bacteria. No hemolytic reactions were observed. E. faecalis BMSEHMP005 was resistant to vancomycin; however, kanamycin, ampicillin, and erythromycin showed minimum inhibitory concentrations that were lower than the acceptable range provided by the European Food Safety Authority. For artificial gastric juice and bile acid, the survival rates were 98.67% and 95.70%, respectively. These results show the potential utility of E. faecalis BMSE-HMP005 as a probiotic with remarkable antimicrobial effects against MDR bacteria.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.388-396
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• 2022

Background: In this study, we present recent trends in heart valve surgery in Korea through analyses of data from the Korea Heart Valve Surgery Registry (KHVSR). Methods: We enrolled 8,981 patients who were registered in the KHVSR from 2017 to 2020. Yearly trends in patients' baseline characteristics, surgical profiles, and early mortality rates were explored. The observed/expected mortality ratio (O/E ratio), calculated from the actual mortality in the KHVSR and the predicted mortality estimated using the EuroSCORE II, was also analyzed. Results: The proportion of aortic valve surgery significantly increased from 56.8% in 2017 to 60.3% in 2020. The proportion of all combined procedures and minimally invasive surgery significantly increased over the 4-year study period. The operative mortality rate was 2.9% in the entire cohort, while mitral valve repair showed the lowest mortality risk (0.9%). The mortality rates of isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) significantly decreased from 2.1% in 2017 to 0.8% in 2020 (p=0.016). Overall, the O/E ratio was 0.784 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.677-0.902) demonstrating significantly lower actual mortality risks than expected based on the EuroSCORE II. In particular, the O/E ratios were as low as 0.364 (95% CI, 0.208-0.591) for isolated AVR. Conclusion: The recent data from the KHVSR showed increasing trends for complex procedures and minimally invasive surgery in heart valve surgery in Korea, and demonstrated remarkably low risks of operative mortality.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.30-30
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• 2001

The culture of preantral follicles has important biotechnological implications through its potential to produce the large quantity of oocytes for embryo production, transgenesis research, conservation of rare breed, and a potential source of ovarian genetic material. The present study was conducted to establish the optimal conditions of in vitro culture for intact bovine preantral follicles; and to examine the developmental ability of oocytes derived from the in vitro-grown preantral follicles; and to investigate the effects of various concentrations of FSH and LH on these processes. Bovine preantral follicles (150 $\pm$ 1.2${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$), surrounded by theca cell, were isolated enzymetically and mechanically from ovarian cortical slides in Leibovitz L-15 medium containing 1 mg/$m\ell$ collagens and 0.2 mg/$m\ell$ DNase I and cultured for 25 days in the presence of different concentrations of bovine FSH and LH in $\alpha$MEM medium with insulin, transferrin, and selenite. The survival was tested by frypan Blue and Hematoxylin. The survival and growth rates of follicles were higher in FSH treatment groups than these in control (P<0.001), but there were no significant differences between the LH treatment groups and the control. In 25 days, the survival and growth rates of follicles in FSH and LH treatment group (50%, 300$\pm$1.0${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) were higher than in FSH treatment group (40%, 244$\pm$0.5${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) and the control group (25%, 160$\pm$ 1.0${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). Fifty-five percent of healthy antral follicles were obtained, and 60% of the oocytes complete meiotic maturation to the metaphase II stage. Twenty-two percent of the mature oocytes underwent cleavage, and 9% developed to the blastocyst stage. In this study, in vitro-grown oocytes (111 $\pm$ $1.5mutextrm{m}$), under our culture conditions, were not equivalent in size to the in vivo-grown oocytes (130$\pm$1.3${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). Therefore, these results suggest that bovine preantral follicles with intact theca cell can grow to the antral stage in 25days, and that oocytes from those follicles can acquire the meiotic competence and normally undergo fertilization and development to the blastocyst stage. However, the developmental capacity of in vitro-grown oocytes is presumably not comparable to those of the in vivo counterparts.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.102-114
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• 2022

Objectives: We investigated the effects of Allii Fistulosi Bulbus (AFB) on high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice and the regulation of energy metabolism in muscle tissues of mice. Methods: The C57BL/6 mice (6 weeks, male) were fed a HFD for 8 weeks and then administrated with AFB extract at 500 mg/kg (p.o.) once daily for 4 weeks. The body weight (BW), muscle weight, calorie intake, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and serum glucose, insulin, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were measured in mice. It was also observed the histological changes of pancreas, liver, and fat tissues with hematoxylin and eosin staining. It was investigated the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), Ser/Thr kinase (AKT), and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), and sirtuin1 (Sirt1) in gastrocnemius tissues by western blot, respectively. Results: The increases of BWs, calorie intakes and FBG levels in obesity mice were decreased significantly by the administration of AFB extract. The AFB extract administration was reduced significantly serum levels of glucose, insulin, and LDL-C in obesity mice. The AFB extract inhibited lipid accumulation in liver tissues, hyperplasia of pancreatic islets, and enlargement of fat tissues in obesity mice. The phosphorylation of IRS-1 and AKT was increased significantly in muscle tissues and AMPK phosphorylation and the GLUT4 and Sirt1 expression were decreased significantly in muscle tissues after the AFB administration. Conclusions: Our study indicates that AFB extract improves symptoms of obesity through regulation of energy regulating proteins in muscle tissues.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2023

Objective : This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of transverse process (TP) hook system at the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) for preventing screw pullout in adult spinal deformity surgery using the pedicle Hounsfield unit (HU) stratification based on K-means clustering. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 74 patients who underwent deformity correction surgery between 2011 and 2020 and were followed up for >12 months. Pre- and post-operative data were used to determine the incidence of screw pullout, UIV TP hook implementation, vertebral body HU, pedicle HU, and patient outcomes. Data was then statistically analyzed for assessment of efficacy and risk prediction using stratified HU at UIV level alongside the effect of the TP hook system. Results : The screw pullout rate was 36.4% (27/74). Perioperative radiographic parameters were not significantly different between the pullout and non-pullout groups. The vertebral body HU and pedicle HU were significantly lower in the pullout group. K-means clustering stratified the vertebral body HU ≥205.3, <137.2, and pedicle HU ≥243.43, <156.03. The pullout rate significantly decreases in patients receiving the hook system when the pedicle HU was from ≥156.03 to < 243.43 (p<0.05), but the difference was not statistically significant in the vertebra HU stratified groups and when pedicle HU was ≥243.43 or <156.03. The postoperative clinical outcomes improved significantly with the implementation of the hook system. Conclusion : The UIV hook provides better clinical outcomes and can be considered a preventative strategy for screw-pullout in the certain pedicle HU range.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2016

Since April 2012, doctor fish in the breeding tank and in the quarantine tank in Hanwha Aquaplanet Yeosu Aquarium have been dying, accompanied by diffuse bleeding around the mouth, in the chin, and at the bottom of the abdomen. In this study, the cause of death would be examined through the bacteriological study of doctor fish and the rearing water quality in the aquarium. The water quality and the bacterial counts of the rearing water in the exhibit tank and in the quarantine tank were analyzed once a week, starting from August to November 2014. Water quality was measured based on the following data: temperature was in the range of 24.5~26.8℃, pH at 6.77~7.94, DO at 6.15~8.61 ppm, ammonia at 0~0.93 ppm, nitrite at 0.009~0.075 ppm, and nitrate at 1.1~40.9 ppm. Studies revealed that the differences in these water quality factors were not related to the death of doctor fish. Bacterial counts in the rearing waters of Garra rufa slightly increased to 10³~10⁴ CFU/ml, just before the death of the doctor fish. Twelve strains of bacteria were isolated from the dead fish and rearing waters. The isolates were identified as Aeromonas veronii, Citrobacter freundii, Pseudorhodoferax aquiterrae, Shewanella putrefaciens, and Vibrio anguillarum on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. The most dominant species was C. freundii, which showed medium sensitivity to florfenicol and norfloxacin, and was resistant to amoxacillin, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, and trimethoprim. Ten isolates were confirmed to be pathogenic to the doctor fish. Doctor fish infected with C. freundii and S. putrefaciens showed high mortality in the experimental groups. These results indicate that the variation in bacterial numbers in the rearing water was related to the death of doctor fish. C. freundii and S. putrefaciens were directly implicated in causing the death of doctor fish in the aquarium.