• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.741-762
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• 2015

This study examines the long-term prospects for a minimum living guarantee by public pensions for the elderly using a dynamic micro-simulation model. "Elderly poverty" here is an estimate calculated by considering only the public pension income and it means how public pension affects the minimum living guarantee for the elderly. The main results are: First the impact of the public pension system on elderly poverty can be decomposed into economic growth and institutional effect. When considering both effects, the absolute poverty rate of the elderly will be reduced to 20% by the year 2040. But when considering the institutional effect(except economic growth effect), that rate is expected to be a long-term level of around 90%. Second, even if the Basic Pension is indexed to 10% of A-value, the elderly poverty rate is only about 10%p to be reduced further, compared to the current CPI-indexed system. Third, current benefit formula for National Pension does not consider the actual correlation of income level and insured period; consequently, the reversal possibility of the replacement rate appears likely. Fourth, the reform of 2007 improves the sustainability of the National Pension; however, it deteriorates the adequacy of the pension policy, i.e., the past system would be better than the current system in regards to a reduction in elderly poverty. Further discussion is needed on aspects of correct pension reform assessments which is difficult to achieve without understanding the comprehensive benefits and costs to society.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.566-578
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• 2020

Objective : Radiation is known to induce autophagy in malignant glioma cells whether it is cytocidal or cytoprotective. Dexamethasone is frequently used to reduce tumor-associated brain edema, especially during radiation therapy. The purpose of the study was to determine whether and how dexamethasone affects autophagy in irradiated malignant glioma cells and to identify possible intervening molecular pathways. Methods : We prepared p53 mutant U373 and LN229 glioma cell lines, which varied by phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) mutational status and were used to make U373 stable transfected cells expressing GFP-LC3 protein. After performing cell survival assay after irradiation, the IC₅₀ radiation dose was determined. Dexamethasone dose (10 μM) was determined from the literature and added to the glioma cells 24 hours before the irradiation. The effect of adding dexamethasone was evaluated by cell survival assay or clonogenic assay and cell cycle analysis. Measurement of autophagy was visualized by western blot of LC3-I/LC3-II and quantified by the GFP-LC3 punctuated pattern under fluorescence microscopy and acridine orange staining for acidic vesicle organelles by flow cytometry. Results : Dexamethasone increased cell survival in both U373 and LN229 cells after irradiation. It interfered with autophagy after irradiation differently depending on the PTEN mutational status : the autophagy decreased in U373 (PTEN-mutated) cells but increased in LN229 (PTEN wild-type) cells. Inhibition of protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation after irradiation by LY294002 reversed the dexamethasone-induced decrease of autophagy and cell death in U373 cells but provoked no effect on both autophagy and cell survival in LN229 cells. After ATG5 knockdown, radiation-induced autophagy decreased and the effect of dexamethasone also diminished in both cell lines. The diminished autophagy resulted in a partial reversal of dexamethasone protection from cell death after irradiation in U373 cells; however, no significant change was observed in surviving fraction LN229 cells. Conclusion : Dexamethasone increased cell survival in p53 mutated malignant glioma cells and increased autophagy in PTEN-mutant malignant glioma cell but not in PTEN-wildtype cell. The difference of autophagy response could be mediated though the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1-10
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• 2012

This paper presents an experimental result and suggests the confinement effect of headed cross tie in reinforced concrete(RC) columns subjected to cycling horizontal loads under constant axial load. Five RC columns specimens were manufactured, taking confined type of transverse reinforcement, whether or not using cross tie, end detail of cross tie (hooked or headed), and axial stress in column as major variables, Cyclic horizontal load applied to the columns under constant axial stress and the effect of cross tie to structural capacity of column was evaluated from the test. The column without cross tie failed showing bending deformation of hoop with crack in core concrete at low horizontal load while the column with cross tie showed quite improved strength and ductility by suppressing bending deformation of hoop as well as buckling of longitudinal bar at once even after crack in core concrete. At high lateral displacement, the column with hooked cross tie showed the failure pattern loosing the confining force of cross tie since the $90^{\circ}$ hooked part of cross tie was stretched out and the cracked core concrete lumps were came off. However, the column with headed cross tie showed very stable behavior since the head of cross tie effectively confined the hoop and longitudinal bars even at high lateral displacement.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.104-108
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• 2007

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the clinical antagonistic effect of atipamezole(0.25 mg/kg, IM) in cats anesthetized with tiletamine-zolazepam ($Zoletil^{(R)}$, 10 mg/kg, IM) and medetomidine (0.05 mg/kg, IM). Twelve healthy 1 year old Korean mixed breed cats were used for this study. They were 4 males and 8 females. These cats were randomly assigned to two groups. One was control group ($Zoletil^{(R)}$ + medetomidine, ZM), and the other was treatment group ($Zoletil^{(R)}$ + medetomidine and antagonism by atipamezole, ZMA). All cats were examined 15 minutes before, 5, 25, 65 and 105 minutes after administration of tiletamine-zolazepam and medetomidine. Atipamezole was injected intramuscularly 20 minutes after ZM administation. Recovery time, heart rate, respiratory rate, total plasma protein and blood glucose were significantly different between ZM group and ZMA group (P<0.05). However, rectal temperature was not significantly different between ZM group and ZMA group. Two groups were able to induce sternal recumbency within 2 minutes and lateral recumbency within 4 minutes after the anesthetics injection. Mean sternal position time ($mean{\pm}SD$) was $174.0{\pm}44.6\;and\;116.2{\pm}27.3$ minutes, and mean standing position time was $210.8{\pm}45.6\;and\;154.2{\pm}21.1$ minutes in ZM and ZMA group, respectively. In these two groups, adverse effects during recovery time from anesthesia were not seen. As a result, the ZMA group had a faster recovery than the ZM group. Thus it was concluded that atipamezole could exert a useful reversal effect in cats anesthetized with medetomidine-tiletamine/zolazepam combination.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Modified Constraint-Induced Therapy (MCIT) on the effected upper extremity of children with hemiparesis. Four children with hemiparetic upper extremity caused by brain injuries were trained by MCIT for ten weeks. During the same period, all of the subjects were also involved in thirty-minute regular physical therapy and occupational therapy. During the treatment period, the unaffected upper extremities of the subjects were restrained by a specially designed hand splint or a mitten for five hours a day, five days per week. For two hours out of the five-hour restraint period, the affected upper extremities were intensively trained by performing various functional tasks, which were individually structured to emphasize use of the affected arm. A single-subject design with A-B-A reversal was employed in this study. The affected limb motor ability was evaluated by Melbourne Assessment, measuring the time to grasp and release nine pegs, and measuring grasping power. As a consequence of this study, the affected limb motor test scores of all four subjects in the baseline period were improved during the treatment period. Furthermore, the treatment effect was maintained during a one-month follow-up period. The results of this study support the assumption that MCIT is an effective therapeutic method to improve the sensory and motor abilities of hemiparetic children. It also increases the frequency of functional use of the hemiparetic hands of brain-injured children. Based on the results of this study, it can also be assumed that the modified CIT method is especially beneficial to these children by reducing the negative emotional effects of forceful restraint of the unaffected upper extremity. To optimize the functional recovery of the paretic upper extremity by CIT, the restriction period per day should be decided individually, according to the characteristics of the individual.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.61-69
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of left visual stimuli for reducing the severity of unilateral neglect. Method : This research used a reversal design(ABAB) of single case study. The subject was a 60-year-old male patient who had left unilateral neglect. Remedial approach is more valuable method than compensatory approach in term of reducing the unilateral neglect. One of the method of remedial approach is controlled sensory stimulation. Result : I performed the line bisection test before and after the stimulation, and while doing that, put blinking lights to the patient from the left side. The average errors in the line bisection test decreased in B B', the intervention period, compared with A A'. The MVPT left response behavior score increased from 13 to 18. Conclusion : This shows that the light stimulation is effective in the reduction of unilateral neglect.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Purpose: Anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (PSP) have been investigated in vitro and in animals and found to have a protective effect against oxidative hepatic damage. In this study, we investigated that aqueous extract of PSP can ameliorate the dysfunction of lipid metabolism in mice fed a high fat/cholesterol diet. Methods: Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8) and fed one of the following diets for 8 weeks; normal fat (NF) diet; high fat/cholesterol (HFC) diet; HFC with 1.25% PSP (HFPL) diet; HFC with 2.5% PSP (HFPM) diet; HFC with 5% PSP (HFPH) diet. Results: Non-alcoholic fatty liver was manifested in the HFC group by showing increased levels in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), increased level of TC and presence of many large lipid droplets in the liver, and increased fat cell size in the HFC group compared with the NF group. However, administration of HFC induced a significant decrease in food intake, resulting in decrease in fat mass. Co-administration of PSP did not lead to reversal of body weight changes, ALT activity, and lipid levels in plasma and the liver, but suppressed excess enlargement of the fat cell size through increasing carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) gene expression in the liver. Accordingly, the number of fat droplets in the liver was reduced in PSP administered groups. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that PSP may have a protective effect on the dysfunction of lipid metabolism. Conduct of further studies on the coordinated regulation of PSP for lipid metabolic homeostasis at the liver-adipose tissue axis is needed.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.899-906
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• 2014

Prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) promotes tumor-persistent inflammation, frequently resulting in cancer. Curcumin is a diphenolic turmeric that inhibits carcinogenesis and induces apoptosis. $PGE_2$ inhibits curcumin-induced apoptosis; however, the underlying inhibitory mechanisms in colon cancer cells remain unknown. The aim of the present study is to investigate the survival role of $PGE_2$ and whether addition of exogenous $PGE_2$ affects curcumininduced cell death. HCT-15 cells were treated with curcumin and $PGE_2$, and protein expression levels were investigated via Western blot. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipid peroxidation, and intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels were confirmed using specific dyes. The nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) DNA-binding was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). $PGE_2$ inhibited curcumin-induced apoptosis by suppressing oxidative stress and degradation of PARP and lamin B. However, exposure of cells to the EP2 receptor antagonist, AH6809, and the PKA inhibitor, H89, before treatment with $PGE_2$ or curcumin abolished the protective effect of $PGE_2$ and enhanced curcumin-induced cell death. $PGE_2$ activates PKA, which is required for cAMP-mediated transcriptional activation of CREB. $PGE_2$ also activated the Ras/Raf/Erk pathway, and pretreatment with PD98059 abolished the protective effect of $PGE_2$. Furthermore, curcumin treatment greatly reduced phosphorylation of CREB, followed by a concomitant reduction of $NF-{\kappa}B$ (p50 and p65) subunit activation. $PGE_2$ markedly activated nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$. EMSA confirmed the DNA-binding activities of $NF-{\kappa}B$ subunits. These results suggest that inhibition of curcumin-induced apoptosis by $PGE_2$ through activation of PKA, Ras, and $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways may provide a molecular basis for the reversal of curcumin-induced colon carcinoma cell death.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.64-86
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• 1994

The authors have transplanted periodontally involved roots which had been root planed into healthy and periodontally involved extraction sockets, and studied the root resorption patterns as well as its effect on new bone formation and wound healing. Alveolar bone around mandibular premolars of 6 adult dogs has been surgically removed, followed by ligation of orthodontic elastic wires for 8 weeks inducing chronic periodontal disease. After removing the crown portions, roots were extracted, and notches were made on the root surfaces discriminating healthy and periodontally involved areas using burs. Controls and experimental groups were divided as follows. Control I : Transplantation of periodontally involved root into healthy extraction sockets. Control II : Transplantation of periodontally involved root into diseased extraction sockets. Experimental group I : Transplantation of root planed roots into healthy extraction sockets. Experimental group II : Transplantation of root planed roots into diseased extraction sockets. Extraction sockets were sutured after transplantations, completely submerging the roots. Healing progress was histologically observed at 2nd, 8th, 12th, and 20th weeks, and the results were as follows ; 1. No inflammation or infection within the extraction sockets had been observed in all groups throughout the experimental period. 2. Reversal lines were observed at week 2 in all groups, clearly discriminating socket walls and new bone, and numerous blood vessels were observed in the new bone trabeculae. 3. Experimental groups showed markedly less root resorption compared to the controls at week 2, but as time progressed, severe resorptions were present in all groups. 4. Localized areas of new bone ankylosis were observed, and the rest of the areas showed collagen fiber insertion with new bone formation at its periphery. 5. No clear differences were found in healing and alveolar bone regeneration between healthy and diseased extraction sockets. 6. The amount of root resorption and ankylosis had increased up to week 8 and 12, showing ankylosis of new bone and the roots. However, no further increase in ankylosis was observed at week 20. 7. Most of the cementum on healthy roots was directly ankylosed to new bone at week, 2, and were gradually resorbed and replaced by new bone thereafter. These results appear to indicate that root planing may inhibit early root resorption of transplanted roots, but gradual replacement by alveolar bone and collagen fibers eventually occur. Condition of the roots or presence of disease in extraction sockets do not appear to make marked differences in alveolar bone regeneration process.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the time from the injection of muscle relaxants to the first spontaneous respiration between sugammadex and conventional reversal for patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: This study was retrospectively conducted on patients who were diagnosed with gallbladder stone (N802) between January 2014 and April 2017. The data were collected from the electronic medical records of a total of 186 patients (84 patients in the neostigmine group and 102 patients in the sugammadex group). Results: The time required for the first spontaneous respiration in the sugammadex group was shorter than that in the neostigmine group (3.6 min vs 4.9 min; p<0.05). After the injection of intermediate muscle relaxants, the comparison of heart rate and mean arterial pressure in the sugammadex and neostigmine groups revealed that the heart rate in the neostigmine group was higher than in the sugammadex group after 5 min (p<0.05). The mean arterial pressure in the neostigmine group was higher than in the sugammadex group after 10 min (p<0.05). A significant adverse effect of tachycardia was observed in the neostigmine group (p<0.05), but the frequency of rescue antiemetic in the sugammadex group was significantly higher than in the neostigmine group (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the unwanted effect of neostigmine group was tachycardia; therefore, in the case of patients with hemodynamic instability, sugammadex is recommended. At 12 hours after the injection of sugammadex to patients, more antiemetics were required than in the neostigmine group; therefore, more research should be conducted on postoperative nausea and vomiting.