• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.467-477
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to present the ranking and difference of the importance and satisfaction of the swimsuit brand image that the swimsuit consumers perceive through the IPA and to provide the implications for the activation of the swimsuit industry market by diagramming it with the IPA matrix. To do this, we analyzed 298 questionnaire data for university students and graduate students and the following conclusions were drawn through the ranking of importance, satisfaction, and the corresponding sample t-test and IPA matrix. First, as a result of examining the ranking through the average of the importance and satisfaction of the swimsuit brand image, the importance showed average 4.0 or more in order of 'quality', 'functionality', 'price', 'design', 'trust', 'color', and the satisfaction showed average 3.5 or more in order of 'trust', 'quality', 'functionality' and 'awareness'. Second, as a result of difference verification in swimsuit brand image, it showed a significant difference in order of 'quality', 'price', 'functionality', 'design', 'color', 'trust', 'sophistication'. On the other hand, it showed no significant difference of cognitive images. Third, as a result of IPA of swimsuit brand image, the factors of 'design', 'functional', 'quality' and 'trust' were included in I quadrant, 'price' 'color' in II quadrant, 'advertising image', 'event', 'popularity', 'originality' in III quadrant, and 'awareness', 'sophistication' in IV quadrant.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2011

Objective: To determine whether characteristics of sperm motility obtained by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) could predict pregnancy after intrauterine insemination (IUI) in couples with unexplained infertility. Methods: Three hundred eighty-three cycles of intrauterine insemination with superovulation were retrospectively analyzed. Semen analysis was performed with CASA before and after swim-up and the parameters were compared between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Results: The pregnancy rate per cycle was 14.1%. Pregnant and non-pregnant women were comparable in terms of age, infertility duration, the number of dominant follicles. While sperm concentration, motility, and parameters such as average path velocity (VAP) and percentage rapid (RAPID) before semen preparation were significantly different between the pregnancy and non-pregnancy groups, there were no differences in sperm parameters when comparing the two groups after preparation. Using a receiver operating characteristic curve to measure sensitivity and specificity, the optimal threshold value for the predictors of pregnancy was revealed to be a concentration of ${\geq}111{\times}10^6/mL$, a motility of ${\geq}$ 51.4%, and RAPID ${\geq}$ 30.1% before preparation for IUI. Conclusion: Sperm parameters including concentration, motility, and RAPID before sperm preparation could have predictive value for pregnancy outcome after intrauterine insemination with superovulation in couples with unexplained infertility, and would be helpful when counseling patients before they make the decision to proceed with IVF/ICSI-ET.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.6 s.86
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• pp.859-866
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• 2007

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise on serum insulin and leptin levels and GLUT-4 and VAMP-2 in skeletal muscles from the pregnant rats. F344 rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 15 in each group): control group (CG), pregnant group (PG), pregnant running group (PR), and pregnant swimming group (PS). From the 15th day of pregnancy, animals in the running group were forced to run on treadmill for 30 min with a light intensity, while those in the swimming group were forced to swim in swimming pool for 10 min once a day for 6 consecutive days. The present result demonstrated that in pregnant rat group, serum insulin levels significantly in-creased and leptin levels significantly decreased. Skeletal GLUT-4 and VAMP-2 protein expression was significantly decreased in pregnant rats compared to non-pregnant rats. However, matenal running during gestational period alleviated pregnancy-induced changes in plasma insulin and leptin levels, and it significantly enhanced skeletal GLUT-4 and VAMP-2 protein expression. From those results, it can be suggested that running exercise during gestational period may improve glycemic control by up-regulating GLUT-4 and VAMP-2 protein expression.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.390-397
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• 2017

The introduction of exotic fish species may reduce the number of native fish species and disturb the aquatic ecosystem. Therefore, measures to block and manage fish species are required. Accordingly, a fish species blocking system using bubbles was developed in this study to block exotic fish species. An experimental channel was produced and the possibility of blocking such exotic fish species was evaluated. The bubble generator is a system that produces a bubble curtain by generating air with an air compressor that blocks fish species. Bluegill, which is an exotic fish species in the country, was tested with this generator. The size of bluegill was between 0.10 m and 0.15 m and the depth of water was maintained at 0.70 m. The flow velocity of the experiment channel was classified into 3 levels (0.20 m/s, 0.10 m/s, and 0.05 m/s) considering the natatorial ability of the fish species. The results revealed that 70.07% of bluegill showed movements to swim upstream before applying the bubble, but it is considered that the ascending rate would be higher given that the fish species thinks downstream is a habitat and showed almost no movement. However, when the blocking facility was installed, most fish species showed movements to return to the downstream again by the bubble curtain, indicating a very high blocking effect. In particular, when the generating bubble was terminated, the fish species swam back to the upstream area very soon, so the fish species blocking effect using the bubble was excellent.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.151-163
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• 2008

1. Objective This study was done to identify the anti-stress effect of Hyeongbangdojeok-san (HDS), Yanggyeoksanhwa-tang(YST) in Soyangin. 2. Methods Experimental animals were composed of YST, HDS+stress groups which were administered each by 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and the Saline+stress group. On the 1st day, making the rats forced swim and on the 2nd day, applying Forced swimming test to the rats. After FST, the levels of Corticosterone in the blood were measured. For the study of learning retardation, memory ability and anxiety reaction, experimental animals were composed of YST, HDS+restraint stress groups which were administered each by 400mg/kg, no stress group and the Saline+restraint stress group. Restraint stress were applied 2 hours a day for 3 weeks. On the last day of the 3rd week, Elevated Plus Maze(EPM) was applied to the groups and Morris Water Maze(MWM) was applied to the groups for 7 days. 3. Results 1. As the results of measuring FST which reflects depression, the YST+stress group and the HDS+stress group showed significant effect in comparison with the Saline+stress group. The levels of Corticosterone in the blood were decreased only in the 400mg/kg YST+stress group. 2. As the results of measuring how long EPM which reflects anxiety reaction stayed in the open arm, there was the trend which can suppress anxiety reaction in the HDS+restraint stress group bur no statistical significance. But there was any suppression of anxiety reaction in the YST+restraint stress group. 3. According to the result of MWM, the saline+restraint stress group showed the learning retardation which means increased time arriving at goal compared to the normal group at the second and third day of measurement. On the contrary, a learning retardation was significantly decreased in the YST+restraint stress group at the third day of measurement. 4. Among the Probe trial test a memory loss occurred in the saline+restraint stress group, but memory ability was significantly increased in the YST+restraint stress group. 4. Conclusion: As the results above, Soyangin Yanggyeoksanhwa-tang has significant influence to the antidepression effect, the learning retardation, the anxiety reaction and also in the Hormone level. Hyeongbangdojeok-san has significant influence to the antidepression effect, in the Hormone level, bur not to the learning retardation and anxiety reaction. prefer to drink cold water, and who are suffering from chronic gastritis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Ginseng extract (GSE) and taurine (TR) are widely used antifatigue resources in functional foods. However, the mechanism underlying the antifatigue effects of GSE and TR are still unclear. Hence, we investigated whether GSE and TR have synergistic effects against fatigue in mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: L6 cells were treated with different concentrations of TR and GSE, and cell viability was determined using 2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium. Oxidative stress was analyzed by immunocytochemistry using MitoTracker^TM Red FM and an anti-8-oxoguanine antibody. Respiratory gas analysis was performed to investigate metabolism. Expression of an activated protein kinase was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Gene expression of cluster of differentiation 36 and pyruvate dehydrogenase lipoamide kinase isozyme 4 was measured using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Mice were orally administered TR, GSE, or their combination for 30 days, and then fatigue-related parameters, including lactate, blood urea nitrogen, and glycogen, were measured after forced swimming. RESULTS: TR and GSE reduced oxidative stress levels in hydrogen peroxide-stimulated L6 cells and enhanced the oxygen uptake and lipid metabolism in mice after acute exercise. After oral administration of TR or GSE for 30 days, the fatigue-related parameters did not change in mice. However, the mice administered GSE (400 mg/kg/day) alone for 30 days could swim longer than those from the other groups. Further, no synergistic effect was observed after the swimming exercise in mice treated with the TR and GSE combination for 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data suggest that TR and GSE may exert antifatigue effects in mice after acute exercise by enhancing oxygen uptake and lipid oxidation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.62-70
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• 2022

Background: Maternal Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection during pregnancy has been associated with various mental illnesses in the offspring. Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is a major bioactive compound obtained from ginseng that has an anti-T. gondii effect and attenuates microglial activation through toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. GRh2 also alleviated tumor-associated or lipopolysaccharide-induced depression. However, the effects and potential mechanisms of GRh2 on depression-like behavior in mouse offspring caused by maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy have not been investigated. Methods: We examined GRh2 effects on the depression-like behavior in mouse offspring, caused by maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy, by measuring depression-like behaviors and assaying parameters at the neuronal and molecular level. Results: We showed that GRh2 significantly improved behavioral measures: sucrose consumption, forced swim time and tail suspended immobility time of their offspring. These corresponded with increased tissue concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine and dopamine, and attenuated indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase or enhanced tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the prefrontal cortex. GRh2 ameliorated neuronal damage in the prefrontal cortex. Molecular docking results revealed that GRh2 binds strongly to both TLR4 and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that GRh2 ameliorated the depression-like behavior in mouse offspring of maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy by attenuating the excessive activation of microglia and neuroinflammation through the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. It suggests that GRh2 could be considered a potential therapy in preventing and treating psychiatric disorders in the offspring mice of mothers with prenatal exposure to T. gondii infection.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.280-320
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the antidepressant effects of capsaicin in chronic depressive rats and elucidate the mechanism underlying its effects. Methods: Male Wistar rats (280~320 g, 8 weeks of age) were subjected to depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stresses. The rats were exposed to 8 kinds of stresses for 8 weeks. In the last 2 weeks, fluoxetine or capsaicin was injected subcutaneously. The dose of fluoxetine was 10 mg/kg (body weight), while the doses of capsaicin consisted of low (1 mg/kg), middle (5 mg/kg), and high (10 mg/kg). The forced swim test (FST) was conducted to evaluate the immobility time of rats. The immobility time indicates despair, one of symptoms of depression. The change of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) in the dorsal raphe was investigated using immunohistochemistry. In the hippocampus cornu ammonis (CA) 1 and 3, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression was measured. Results: The immobility time in the FST was significantly lower (p < .05) in the low-dose (M = 32.40 ± 13.41 seconds) and middle-dose (M = 28.48 ± 19.57 seconds) groups than in the non-treated depressive rats (M = 90.19 ± 45.34 seconds). The amount of TPH in the dorsal raphe was significantly higher (p < .05) in the middle-dose (M = 249.17 ± 35.02) and high-dose (M = 251.0 ± 56.85) groups than in the non-treated depressive rats (M = 159.78 ± 41.16). However, GR expression in the hippocampus CA1 and CA3 did not show significant differences between the non-treated depressive rats and the capsaicin-injected rats. Conclusion: This study suggests that capsaicin produces an antidepressant-like effect on chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression in rats via the serotonin biosynthesis pathway.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2009

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a common white matter lesion affecting the neonatal brains. PVL is closely associated with cerebral palsy (CP). It has been suggested that maternal or placental infection can induce damage to the neonatal brains. In the present study, we investigated the effects of treadmill running and swimming of rat pups on the GFAP and MBP expressions in the brains of rat pups with maternal lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced CP. The rats were divided into the six groups for experiment 1: the control group, the control with mild exercise group, the control with moderate exercise group, the LPS-treated group, the LPS-treated with mild exercise group, and the LPS-treated with moderate exercise group (n=6 in each group). The rats in the running groups were forced to run on a motorized treadmill for 30 min 5 times a week for 4 weeks. For experiment 2, the rats were divided into four groups: the control group, the LPS-treated group, the LPS-treated with swimming group, and the LPS-treated with treadmill running group (n = 5 in each group). The rats in the swimming group were made to swim for 30 min once a day for 5 times per week during 2 weeks. The rats in the treadmill running group were made to run for 30 min once a day for 5 times per week during 2 weeks. The present results showed that intracervical maternal LPS injection during pregnancy significantly increased GFAP expression in the striatum and significantly decreased MBP expression in the corpus callosum of rat pups. The present results also showed that treadmill running and swimming significantly suppressed GFAP expression and significantly enhanced MBP expression in the brains of rat pups with maternal LPS-induced CP. This effect of treadmill running was shown as equally both in the mild-intensity exercise and in the moderate-intensity exercise. The present study revealed that exercise, both the treadmill running and swimming, is effective for the treatment of astrogliosis and hypomyelination associated with CP. Here in this study, we showed that treadmill running and swimming are effective for alleviating the detrimental effects of CP.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.373-380
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• 2000

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of goat milk and fermented goat milk on reproductive function and stamina of male rodent. Methods: Experiment I: Male ICR mouse was divided into four groups. Group 1 none-treated control; Group 2 received saline; Group 3 received cow milk 10 ml/kg per day for 15 days; Group 4 received goat milk 10 ml/kg per day for 15 days. The cauda epididymal sperm motility and testicular sperm production were investigated. Experiment II: Male SD rat was divided into three groups. Group 1 received saline; Group 2 received goat milk 10 ml/kg per day for 28 days; Group 3 received fermented goat milk 10 ml/kg per day for 28 days. The cauda epididymal sperm motility and testicular sperm production were also investigated. The concentration of testosterone in serum at 1 and 3 weeks after treatment was determined using Immulite 2000 kit. Testes, epididymis, prostate, and seminal vesicle were weighed. Experiment III: Male ICR mouse was divided into four groups. Group 1 none-treated control; Group 2 received saline; Group 3 received goat milk 10 ml/kg per day for 4 weeks; Group 4 received fermented goat milk 10 ml/kg per day for 4 weeks. After treatment, the mouse was forced to swim to test for stamina. Results: In Experiment I, the cauda epididymal sperm motility after in vitro culture for 1 or 3 h was significantly (p<0.05) higher in cow milk and goat milk than in the control and saline. There was no significant difference in the cauda epidymal sperm motility between cow and goat milk. The testicular spermatid number was significantly (p<0.01) higher in goat milk (222.8${\times}10^6$) than in the control (108.6), saline (98.2), and cow milk (118.2). In Experiment II, the cauda epididymal sperm motility after in vitro culture for 1 h was significantly (p<0.05) higher in fermented goat milk than in saline and goat milk. There was no significant difference in the cauda epidymal sperm motility between saline and goat milk but goat milk showed slightly higher sperm motility than saline. After in vitro culture for 3 h, the cauda epididymal sperm motility was significantly (p<0.01) higher in fermented goat milk and goat milk than in saline. The testicular spermatid number was significantly (p<0.05) higher in goat milk than in saline, and significantly (p<0.01) higher in fermented goat milk than in saline. And the serum testosterone levels of rats administered with goat milk or fermented goat milk were increased but were no significant difference among three groups. Also the prostate weight was significantly (p<0.05) increased in the goat and fermented goat milk. In Experiment III, the swimming time in the goat milk and fermented goat milk groups was significantly (p<0.01) longer than in the control and saline. There was no significant difference in the swimming time between goat and fermented goat milk but the fermented goat milk showed slightly longer swimming time than the goat milk. Conclusion: The cauda epididymal sperm motility, the testicular spermatid number and stamina were improved when the mice and rats were drunk with goat milk or fermented goat milk.