• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 2011

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disease that is associated with Th2 cell-mediated allergy. The process that leads to infiltration of inflammatory cells into an AD lesion is remarkably dependent on various chemokines, especially TARC (thymus and activation-regulated chemokine/CCL17) and MDC (macrophage-derived chemokine/CCL22). Serum levels of these chemokines are over-expressed in AD patients. Citrus unshiu, which is known as Satsuma mandarin, has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammation, and anti-microviral activity. Therefore, we investigated the effect of EtOH extract of premature C. unshiu on AD. We did this using a DNCB-induced AD mouse model. We also tried to confirm an inhibitory effect for premature C. unshiu on the expression of inflammatory chemokines in IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ stimulated HaCaT human keratinocytes. We found that extract of premature C. unshiu reduced DNCB-induced symptoms such as hyperkeratosis, increased skin thickness, and infiltrated mast cells, in our AD-like animal model. The extract decreased levels of IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-4 in ConA-stimulated splenocytes isolated from DNCB-treated mice. Also, extract of premature C. unshiu inhibited mRNA expression and protein production of TARC and MDC through the inhibition of STAT1 phosphorylation. These results suggest that C. unshiu has anti-atopic activity by regulating inflammatory chemokines such as TARC and MDC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.5031-5035
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• 2016

Docetaxel, recognized as a stabilizing microtubule agent, is frequently administrated as a first line treatment for prostate cancers. Due to high side effects of monotherapy, however, combinations with novel adjuvants have emerged as an alternative strategy in cancer therapy protocols. Here, we investigated the combined effects of stattic and docetaxel on the DU145 prostate cancer cell line. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. To understand molecular mechanisms of stattic action, apoptotic related genes including Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Survivin and Bax were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. Alteration in the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 genes and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were investigated via the $2^{{\Delta}{\Delta}CT}$ method. The $IC_{50}$ values for docetaxel and stattic were $3.7{\pm}0.9nM$ and $4.6{\pm}0.8{\mu}M$, respectively. Evaluation of key gene expression levels revealed a noticeable decrease in antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 along with an increase in pro-apoptotic Bax mRNA levels (p<0.05). Our results suggest that combination of a STAT3 inhibitor with doctaxel can be considered as a potent strategy for induction of apoptosis via increasing Bax mRNA expression.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.295-307
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• 1997

This study was performed to investigate the reproductibility of eccentric mandibular movements according to preferred chewing side, range of mouth opening, type of lateral guidance and involvement of temporomandibular disorders. 50 patients with temporomandibular disorders and 65 dental students without any signs and symptoms were randomly selected for this study as the patients group and the control group, respectively. For recording and observation of eccentric mandibular movement trajectory, BioEGN$^\textregistered$ of Biopak$^\textregistered$ system (Bioresearch Inc., USA) was used. Each eccentric movement to anterior, right and left side was performed three times similar to the movement pattern for Pantronic Reproducibility Index. mandibular path was analyzed by three dimensional positional change and the three paths from one direction were compared with one another. From this, reproducibility index of one-directional lateral movement could be calculated, and total reproducibility index, named BioEGN reproducibility index(BERI), was also computed from three-directional eccentric movement likewise. BioEGN reproducibility Index could have four value of score by small or large scale, and by outgoing or incoming movement. The data were analyzed by SAS/stat program and the results obtained were as follows: 1. Right side chewing subjects showed more consistent pattern In reproducibility index in comparison between patients group and control group than left chewing subjects have done, and reproducibility was low in patients group. However, there was no difference between the two stoups in bilateral chewing subjects. 2. There were no difference in reproducibility index between preferred chewing side and contralateral side in unilateral chewing subjects whereas reproducibility index in left side on outgoing movement were higher than in right side in bilateral chewing subjects. 3. Difference in total reproducibility index(BERI) between canine guidance group and non-canine guidance group were not observed though difference in reproducibility index on lateral movement were observed in part. 4. There were no difference in reproducibility index between affected side and contralateral side in unilaterally affected patients, and between unilaterally affected patients and bilaterally affected patients in patients group. 5. Highly significant positive correlationship were shown among the four 쇼pes of total reproducibility index(BERI) in total subjects, and range of clinical mouth opening was negatively correlated with BEBI on outgoing movements and with index on outgoing movement to preferred side.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.327-339
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• 1997

This study aimed at evaluating tile relationship between pressure pain threshold(PPT) and electromyographic(EMG) activity in 30 healthy volunteers and 30 patients with temporomandibular disorders. PPTs were determined with electric pressure algometry over masseter, temporalis anterior, sternocleidomastoid, and trapezius muscle during resting and clenching. To obtain more reliable result, two examiners measured PPTs two times on each muscles, randomly. Resting and clenching EMG activity and tenderness of all muscles were measured to evaluate the relationship with PPTs. The collected data were processed by SAS/STAT program. The obtained results were as follows : 1. Pressure pain thresholds in tendered muscles were lower than those in non-tendered muscles. This tendency was more prominant in masticatory muscles than in cervical muscles and in clenching than in resting. 2. There ware a tendency of higher PPTs in unaffected side than in affected side, but there were no significant difference statistically. 3. There wert no difference of PPTs between in preferred side and in ipsilateral side, significantly. 4. There was a significantly positive correlation between resting and clenching PPTs, but there were no correlation between PPTs and EMG activities. 5. Comparison of EMG activity between in higher group and in lower group by resting PPTs didn't show any significant difference. But resting EMG activity in the higher group of clenching PPTs were lower, on the contrary, clenching activity were higher than those in lower groups of clenching PPTs. From this results, the author concluded that the clenching PPTs was more important than resting PPTs in diagnosis of muscle dysfunction. And the author recommanded that all of three following test were performed for the proper diagnosis and treatment of orofacial Pain : muscle tenderness, EMG activity, and PPT.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.157-166
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• 2007

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate anti-arthritic effects of Honghwa-ja herbal acupuncture extract through inhibitory MIF activation. Methods: After Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) knee joint was induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in vivo, Honghwa-ja herbal acupuncture solution was applied on $ST_{35}$(犢鼻) and $EX-LE_{202}$(內膝眼) coresponding human body. To research the effect on the expression of MIF, COX-2, MMP-9 mRNA, RT-PCR was performed on LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells. Results: In the Honghwa-ja herbal acupuncture solution treated Raw 264.7 cell, the mRNA expression of cytokines, RA related inflammation factors, such as the MIF, COX-2, and MMP-9 reduced concentration dependently. Positive reaction of RA-related cytokines MIF, $IL-6R-{\alpha}$, STAT3, COX-2, MMP-9 was reduced. Conclusion : Honghwa-ja herbal acupuncture extract has significant protecting ability against acute progressive RA by inhibiting the production of MIF, as a top in cytokines related to inflammation.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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• v.10 no.4 s.22
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• pp.61-67
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• 2002

This study is aimed to suggest a practical use of GPS continuous stations by conducting the precision analysis using its data. Currently dozens of continuous stations have been installed and operated since the first GPS continuous station built by KAO(Korea Astronomy Observation) in 1985. The utilization of the surveyed information, however, has been under-developed regardless of a significant investment, which leads the necessity of utilization plan. The results of this study show that the mis-closures between the two points at University of Incheon and Suwon/Seoul stations of NGI(National Geography Institute), Seoul stat ion of KAO, and Incheon station of MOGAHA(Ministry Of Government Administration and Home Affairs) are 0.0206m, 0.0118m, 0.0129m and 0.0024m respectively. It indicates that the analyzed mis-closures were less than the allowed values ill the primary/secondary control point specification for GPS surveying, i.e. a mis-closure less than 30mm for the distance less than 30km and a mis-closure less than $IPPM{\times}D(km)$ for the distance greater than 30km.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.107-114
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• 2010

Understanding of reflectance of solar concentrators is important for assessing concentration performance. However inaccurate data about refractive indices of constituent materials and dust accumulation on the surface often prevent figuring out reflectance variations. The current study proposes an approach calculating concentrator reflectance based on the refractive index of glass obtained from reflectance and transmittance measurements. This approach improved accuracy of solar-averaged reflectance from 2.9% to 0.4% compared to the use of existing reference data. Reflectance variations with incidence angles are negligible up to $60^{\circ}C$ at various glass thicknesses. When concentrators are contaminated with dust during 2 months specular reflectance loss of vertically exposed concentrators is less than 7%. However for horizontally exposed concentrators the loss significantly increases up to 40% while dependence of reflectance on incidence angles becomes strong. Measurements of hemispherical reflectance indicate that 80 percentage of the loss comes from scattering rather than absorption by dust. Data of refractive index and reflectance provided in the current study will help estimate or model the concentrated solar flux.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.265-277
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• 1996

The aim of this study was to investigate the electromyographic(EMG) activity of masticatory and cervical muscles according to chewing pattern in coronal plane during gum chewing. 70 patients with temporomandibular disorders and 30 dental students without any signs and symptoms of the disorders participated in this study. We measured the activity of masseter (MM), anterior temporalis(TA), sternocleidomastoideus(SCM) and trapezius muscle and recorded the chewing patterns using Biopak system synchronously. Chewing pattern was classified into S- or L-pattern by the midline opening path and short or long type by the lateral distance from midline. Obtained data were analyzed with SAS/STAT Program. The obtained results were as follows : 1. Generally, there was tended to be higher activity in the control group than in the patients group. 2. When comparing EMG activity according to preferred side, the muscle activity was tended to higher on the preferred chewing side than on the contralateral side. However, this difference is insignificant statistically 3. In unilateral affected patients, there was no difference in muscle activity between affected chewing side and unaffected chewing side except for the EMG of the temporalis anterior muscle. 4. Despite the varietal in each of the following variables, there mere no differences in EMG activity during gum chewing: chewing pattern in coronal plane and lateral distance of chewing. 5. The activity of SCM in chewing side was higher than that in contralateral side (p<0.001), but there was no difference in trapezius muscle. 6. In all of the control group, there was appeared L-chewing pattern than not involved the midline during preferred side chewing.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 1999

This study was performed to investigate the factors related to vibration of temporomandibular joint during mandibular opening movement. For this study, 144 patients with temporomandibular disorders were randomly selected. Angle's classification, lateral guidance pattern, range of maximal mouth opening, preferred chewing side, and affected side were investigated clinically. Mandibular torque rotational movement during opening was recorded with $BioEGN^{(R)}$ and vibration of temporomandibular joint during opening was recorded with $Sonopak^{(R)}$. After clinical diagnosis was made, visual analogue scale(VAS) was used for evaluation of clinical progress of the subject's chief complaints. The author calculated VAS treatment index(VAS Ti) from the record of VAS. The more VAS Ti was, the less remission of subjective symptom was, The data were analyzed with SAS/Stat program and the results of this study were as follows: 1. There were no significant difference in all the variables of joint vibration by age and sex. 2. Integral and peak amplitude in patients of Angle's class I were higher than those of class II or III patients. Integral in patients of group function was higher than that in patients of canine guidance or other types of lateral excursion. 3. As to Angle's classification or lateral guidance type, there were almost not significant difference between subgroup of same class or type and subgroup of different class or type on both sides. And there were also almost not difference between one side and the other side related to preferred chewing side or affected side. 4. Patients with disk displacement with reduction showed higher value of integral and peak amplitude than any other patients. 5. Joint vibration variables significantly correlated with VAS Ti of pain. with clinical range of mouth opening, and with ingredients of mandibular torque rotational movement.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.158-172
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• 2017

Nigella sativa (N. sativa, family Ranunculaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been widely used for centuries throughout the world as a natural remedy. A wide range of chemical compounds found in N. sativa expresses its vast therapeutic effects. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main component (up to 50%) in the essential oil of N. sativa. Also, pinene (up to 15%), p-cymene (40%), thymohydroquinone (THQ), thymol (THY), and dithymoquinone (DTQ) are other pharmacologically active compounds of its oil. Other terpenoid compounds, such as carvacrol, carvone, 4-terpineol, limonenes, and citronellol, are also found in small quantities in its oil. The main pharmacological characteristics of this plant are immune system stimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-cancer, hypoglycemic, anti-tussive, milk production, uricosuric, choleretic, anti-fertility, and spasmolytic properties. In this regard, we have searched the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with keywords of N. sativa, anti-cancer, apoptotic effect, antitumor, antioxidant, and malignancy over the period from 2000 to 2017. The effectiveness of N. sativa against cancer in the blood system, kidneys, lungs, prostate, liver, and breast and on many malignant cell lines has been shown in many studies, but the molecular mechanisms behind that anti-cancer role are still not clearly understood. From among the many effects of N. sativa, including its anti-proliferative effect, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation, anti-metastasis/anti-angiogenesis effects, Akt pathway control, modulation of multiple molecular targets, including p53, p73, STAT-3, PTEN, and $PPAR-{\gamma}$, and activation of caspases, the main suggestive anti-cancer mechanisms of N. sativa are its free radical scavenger activity and the preservation of various anti-oxidant enzyme activities, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and the anti-cancer effects of N. sativa, with a focus on its molecular targets in apoptosis pathways.