• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.405-413
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• 2022

Hair loss is a common status found among people of all ages. Since the role of hair is much more related to culture and individual identity, hair loss can have a great influence on well-being and quality of life. It is a disorder that is observed in only scalp patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) or alopecia areata caused by stress or immune response abnormalities. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutic medicines such as finasteride, and minoxidil improve hair loss temporarily, but when they stop, they have a limitation in that hair loss occurs again. As an alternative strategy for improving hair growth, many studies reported that there is a relationship between the expression levels of prostaglandins (PGs) and hair growth. Four major PGs such as prostaglandin D2 (PGD2₂), prostaglandin I2 (PGI₂), prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂), and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF_2α) are spatiotemporally expressed in hair follicles and are implicated in hair loss. This review investigated the physiological roles and pharmacological interventions of the PGs in the pathogenesis of hair loss and provided these novel insights for clinical therapeutics for patients suffering from alopecia.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.1016-1023
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• 2022

In proton therapy, a highly conformal proton dose can be delivered to the tumor by means of the steep distal dose penumbra at the end of the beam range. The proton beam range, however, is highly sensitive to range uncertainty, which makes accurately locating the proton range in the patient difficult. In-vivo range verification is a method to manage range uncertainty, one of the promising techniques being prompt gamma imaging (PGI). In earlier studies, we proposed gamma electron vertex imaging (GEVI), and constructed a proof-of-principle system. The system successfully demonstrated the GEVI imaging principle for therapeutic proton pencil beams without scanning, but showed some limitations under clinical conditions, particularly for pencil beam scanning proton therapy. In the present study, we upgraded the GEVI system in several aspects and tested the performance improvements such as for range-shift verification in the context of line scanning proton treatment. Specifically, the system showed better performance in obtaining accurate prompt gamma (PG) distributions in the clinical environment. Furthermore, high shift-detection sensitivity and accuracy were shown under various range-shift conditions using line scanning proton beams.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.419-429
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• 2022

The aim of this research is to examine how globalization affects coffee exports in the producing countries. This research used secondary data obtained from the International Coffee Organization, Pen World Table, World Bank, Food and Agricultural Organization, and KoF Globalization Index to achieve its goals. We used secondary data from 1990 to 2018 from various foreign databases. The research used a two-step system GMM (sys-GMM) to analyze the effect of globalization on coffee export in twenty-four producing countries. We found that export lag, gross domestic product (GDP), exchange rate, and the political globalization index (PGI) positively and significantly impact coffee exports. Meanwhile, coffee exports were unaffected by the level of export prices and the human capital index. Surprisingly, the trade globalization index has a negative impact on coffee exports. This demonstrates the unpreparedness of coffee-producing countries to face tough competition in trade globalization. The political globalization index, the final variable, has a positive impact on exports. With the opening up of world politics, it seems that the environment of democracy in producing countries is increasing. As a result, governments in these countries have adopted a policy of aggressively supporting coffee exports.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.723-735
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• 2018

In this study, to investigate an optimal configuration method for the modeling system, we performed an optimization experiment by controlling the types of compilers and libraries, and the number of CPU cores because it was important to provide reliable model data very quickly for the national air quality forecast. We were made up the optimization experiment of twelve according to compilers (PGI and Intel), MPIs (mvapich-2.0, mvapich-2.2, and mpich-3.2) and NetCDF (NetCDF-3.6.3 and NetCDF-4.1.3) and performed wall clock time measurement for the WRF and CMAQ models based on the built computing resources. In the result of the experiment according to the compiler and library type, the performance of the WRF (30 min 30 s) and CMAQ (47 min 22 s) was best when the combination of Intel complier, mavapich-2.0, and NetCDF-3.6.3 was applied. Additionally, in a result of optimization by the number of CPU cores, the WRF model was best performed with 140 cores (five calculation servers), and the CMAQ model with 120 cores (five calculation servers). While the WRF model demonstrated obvious differences depending on the number of CPU cores rather than the types of compilers and libraries, CMAQ model demonstrated the biggest differences on the combination of compilers and libraries.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 2016

Objectives： Arachidonic acid is control the thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and prostacycline (PGI2) synthesis, TXA2 increase lead to thrombus produced by induces platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. Angelicae gigantis radix (RAR) is mainly used blood deficiency and stagnation. In previous studies, RAR has been reported that a vasodilating and blood clotting delay effects. In this study, investigate that anti-oxidant and anti-thrombotic effects of RAR by heat-process.Methods： The heated angelicae gigantis radix sample were made by 140, 180, and 220 ℃ and 4, 6, 9 and 12 min using water or 30% ethanol. The anti-oxidant effects were measured by total polyphenol, total flavonoid, DPPH and ABTS radical scavening activation. Anti-thrombotic effect conducted in samples that are determined to be effective through the anti-oxidant experiment such as angelicae gigantis radix roasted 180℃, and 220℃ and angelicae gigantis radix roasted with 30% ethanol 180℃, and 220℃.Results： Anti-oxidant parameters were efficacious in high temperature roasted AR. Also AR and EAR increased a inhibitory activity of FXa compared with RAR. The blood coagulation time of administration groups were significantly increased compare with control group. The TXB2 was significantly decreased in AR and EAR.Conclusions : We confirmed that whether AR and EAR administration has anti-oxidant and anti-thrombotic effect or not. As the results, AR and EAR were improved anti-oxidant effects and blood biochemistry compare with control group. This study provides scientific evidence that AR and EAR are have an anti-oxidant effect and anti-thrombotic effect, it expected that there is no difference between the two.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 2014

A glycosyltransferase, YjiC, from Bacillus licheniformis has been used for the modification of the commercially available isoflavonoids genistein, daidzein, biochanin A and formononetin. The in vitro glycosylation reaction, using UDP-${\alpha}$-D-glucose as a donor for the glucose moiety and aforementioned four acceptor molecules, showed the prominent glycosylation at 4' and 7 hydroxyl groups, but not at the $5^{th}$ hydroxyl group of the A-ring, resulting in the production of genistein 4'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside, genistein 7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside (genistin), genistein 4',7-O-${\beta}$-D-diglucoside, biochanin A-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside (sissotrin), daidzein 4'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside, daidzein 7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside (daidzin), daidzein 4', 7-O-${\beta}$-D-diglucoside, and formononetin 7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside (ononin). The structures of all the products were elucidated using high performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array and high resolution quadrupole time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR QTOF-ESI/MS) analysis, and were compared with commercially available standard compounds. Significantly higher bioconversion rates of all four isoflavonoids was observed in both in vitro as well as in vivo bioconversion reactions. The in vivo fermentation of the isoflavonoids by applying engineered E. coli $BL21(DE3)/{\Delta}pgi{\Delta}zwf{\Delta}ushA$ overexpressing phosphoglucomutase (pgm) and glucose 1-phosphate uridyltransferase (galU), along with YjiC, found more than 60% average conversion of $200{\mu}M$ of supplemented isoflavonoids, without any additional UDP-${\alpha}$-D-glucose added in fermentation medium, which could be very beneficial to large scale industrial production of isoflavonoid glucosides.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1997

Recently prostaglandin $E_1(PGE_1)$ has been shown to ensure flap survival by producing vasodilation of the peripheral vessels and platelet disaggreation. However, direct observation and detailed quantitative studies of the effects of $PGE_1$ on the cutaneous microcirculation have not been reported. In the present study, we investigated cutaneous microcirculatory changes in the rabbit ear chamber(REC) with an intravital microscope following intravenous administration of $PGE_1$. The results obtained in this study indicate that $PGE_1$ administered intravenously at a rate of 200ng/kg/min might act directly on the vessels and cause dilatation of metarterioles and capillaries without affecting vasomotion and systemic blood pressure. Clinically in order to evaluate the effect of an intravenous administration of $PGE_1$ on the cutaneous microcirculation, cutaneous blood flow, skin temperature and transcutaneous $Po_2$ in the pedicle or free flap of operated patients were evaluated by the combination of several measurements following the administration of $PGE_1$. The present study suggests that improvement of cutaneous microcirculation by $PGE_1$ may enhance the survival rate of flap or replantation. Both vessel arterial ischemia and venous congestion are main factors of tissue necrosis in the flap surgery. Vasodilatory or antithrombotic agents have been used in salvage of flap necrosis. However, the therapeutic effects of those drugs are still not well elucidated. Recently prostaglandin $E_1(PGE_1)$ has been shown to ensure flap survival by producing vasodilatation of the peripheral vessels and platelet disaggregation[1-3]. Emerson and sykes[4] have obtained significant improvement in the flap survival in the rat using $PGI_2$. Suzuki et al.[5] have reported prolonged flap survival length by using $PGE_1$ in the rabbit and concluded that $PGE_1$ improved the microcircuration in the flap. However, direct observation and detailed quantitative studies of the effects of $PGE_1$ on the cutaneous microcirculation have not been reported. In the present study, we investigated microcirculatory changes in the rabbit ear chamber[6,7] with an intravital microscope following intravenous administration of $PGE_1$.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2016

This study is conducted to investigate vasorelaxant effect of Corni Fructus(CF) on rabbit carotid artery. To determine vasorelaxant effect of CF on rabbit carotid artery, arterial sections with intact or removed endothelium were used in this organ bath study. After being contracted by phenylephrine(PE), arterial sections were treated with CF extract in a dose-dependent manner. To identity its mechanism, the contracted arterial sections by PE were pretreated with indomethacin(IM), tetraethylammonium chloride(TEA), Nω-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA) or methylene blue(MB) and 1.0 ㎎/㎖ CF extract. We also studied to confirm the effect on influx of extracellular calcium chloride(Ca²⁺) of the CF extract in rabbit carotid artery. To measure the cytotoxicity of the CF extract, cell viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC) was measured by MTT assay. Generation of nitric oxide(NO) was also measured by Griess reagent. The arterial sections with intact endothelium were relaxed significantly by CF extract, but this effect was inhibited in the arterial sections with damaged endothelium. The vasorelaxant effect was inhibited significantly when arterial sections were pretreated with IM, TEA, L-NNA, MB. In Ca²⁺-free krebs solution, increasing of arterial contraction by Ca²⁺ was also inhibited by CF significantly. The treatment of CF extract increased NO concentration in HUVEC. This study suggested that the vasorelaxant effect of CF extract would be related with endothelium derived relaxing factor(EDRF) such as NO, prostacyclin(PGI₂), endothelium derived hyperpolarization factor(EDHF).

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 1989

Surveys of electrophoretic variation in isozymes and general proteins encoded by 26 loci were conducted to assess species recognition and to estimate the degree of genic variation and species divergence for seven species of the genus Moroco inhabiting in Korea and Japan. Estimates of the average calculated heterozygosity per species of M semotilus, M sp., M percnurus, M lagowskii, M oxycephalus, M steindachneri and M jouyf are low: 0.021, 0.019, 0.051, 0.031, 0.023, 0.046, and 0.007, respectively, and observed heterozygosities are 0.038, 0.022, 0.060, 0.027, 0.025, 0.042, and 0.002, respectively. Allozyme analyses show these species to be distinct genetically with the lafter four species being more closely related one another than any one of them is to the rest of the species. However, these four species (M. lagowskii, M. oxycephalus, M. steindachneri and M jouyi), had unique genetic markers in each species to be recognized as valid species. These results contrast to the previous report of Chung et of. (1986) mainly due to their error in analyzing the isozyme pallems, particularly in MDH and PGI analyses. The genetic distances among M semotilus, M sp., and M percnurus are near the high end of the scale of such estimate for freshwater fish congeners. Based on estimated divergent time of these species of the genus Moroco (5 to 0.6 million years) it is assumed that they are speciated during late Pliocene to middle Pleistocene epoch prior to migration to Korean and Japanese waters through Paleo Amur River system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.626-636
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• 2021

Boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a cancer treatment method that exploits the high neutron reactivity of boron. Monitoring the prompt gamma rays (PGs) produced during neutron irradiation is essential for ensuring the accuracy and safety of BNCT. We investigate the imaging of PGs produced by the boron-neutron capture reaction through Monte Carlo simulations of a gamma camera with a SrI₂ scintillator and parallel-hole collimator. GAGG scintillator is also used for a comparison. The simulations allow the shapes of the energy spectra, which exhibit a peak at 478 keV, to be determined along with the PG images from a boron-water phantom. It is found that increasing the size of the water phantom results in a greater number of image counts and lower contrast. Additionally, a higher septal penetration ratio results in poorer image quality, and a SrI₂ scintillator results in higher image contrast. Thus, we can simulate the BNCT process and obtain an energy spectrum with a reasonable shape, as well as suitable PG images. Both GAGG and SrI₂ crystals are suitable for PG imaging during BNCT. However, for higher imaging quality, SrI₂ and a collimator with a lower septal penetration ratio should be utilized.