• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.402-417
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• 2023

Objective: Liver fibrosis is a highly conserved wound-healing response and the final common pathway of chronic inflammatory injury. This study aimed to evaluate the potential anti-fibrotic effect of the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma water extract (RW) and silymarin in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis model. Methods: The liver fibrosis mouse model was established through the intraperitoneal injection of TAA (1 week 100 mg/kg, 2-3 weeks 200 mg/kg, 4-8 weeks 400 mg/kg) three times per week for eight weeks. Animal experiments were conducted in five groups; Normal, Control (TAA-induced liver fibrosis mice), Sily (silymarin 50 mg/kg), RSL (RW 50 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg), and RSH (RW 100 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg). Biochemical analyses were measured in serum, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ammonia levels. Liver inflammatory cytokines and fibrous biomarkers were measured by Western blot analysis, and liver histopathology was evaluated through tissue staining. Results: A significant decrease in the liver function markers AST and ALT and a reduction in ammonia and total bilirubin were observed in the group treated with RSL and RSH. Measurement of reactive oxygen species and MDA revealed a significant decrease in the RSL and RSH administration group compared to the TAA induction group. The expression of extracellular matrix-related proteins, such as transforming growth factor β1, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen type I alpha 1, was likewise significantly decreased. All drug-administered groups had increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 but a decreasing tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1. RSL and RSH exerted a significant upregulation of NADPH oxidase 2, p22^phox, and p47^phox, which are oxidative stress-related factors. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase 2 and interleukin-1β were markedly suppressed through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation. Conclusions: The administration of RW and silymarin suppressed the NADPH oxidase factor protein level and showed a tendency to reduce inflammation-related enzymes. These results suggest that the combined administration of RW and silymarin improves acute liver injury induced by TAA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 1999.06a
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• pp.53-60
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• 1999

As the flying height decreased, it is essential that hard disk drives perform reliable under various environmental conditions. In this paper the tribological characteristics of a head/disk interface are investigated under various temperature, relative humidity, altitude and outgas conditions. Specially, Contact-Start-Stop(CSS) tests were performed to assess the stiction, acoustic emission, slider take-off behavior, and track average amplitude(TAA). It is shown that the surface damage and head failure are accelerated by high temperature and humidity as well as low ambient pressure.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to detect cell death in the liver of mice treated with thioacetamide (TAA) using fluorescence bioimaging and compare this outcome with that using conventional histopathological examination. At 6 weeks of age, 24 mice were randomly divided into three groups: group 1 (G1), control group; group 2 (G2), fluorescence probe control group; group 3 (G3), TAA-treated group. G3 mice were treated with TAA. Twenty-two hours after TAA treatment, G2 and G3 mice were treated with Annexin-Vivo 750. Fluorescence in vivo bioimaging was performed by fluorescence molecular tomography at two hours after Annexin-Vivo 750 treatment, and fluorescence ex vivo bioimaging of the liver was performed. Liver damage was validated by histopathological examination. In vivo bioimaging showed that the fluorescence intensity was increased in the right upper part of G3 mice compared with that in G2 mice, whereas G1 mice showed no signal. Additionally ex vivo bioimaging showed that the fluorescence intensity was significantly increased in the livers of G3 mice compared with those in G1 or G2 mice (p < 0.05). Histopathological examination of the liver showed no cell death in G1 and G2 mice. However, in G3 mice, there was destruction of hepatocytes and increased cell death. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining confirmed many cell death features in the liver of G3 mice, whereas no pathological findings were observed in the liver of G1 and G2 mice. Taken together, fluorescence bioimaging in this study showed the detection of cell death and made it possible to quantify the level of cell death in male mice. The outcome was correlated with conventional biomedical examination. As it was difficult to differentiate histological location by fluorescent bioimaging, it is necessary to develop specific fluorescent dyes for monitoring hepatic disease progression and to exploit new bioimaging techniques without dye-labeling.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.348-353
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• 2012

L-2-Oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (OTC) is a cysteine prodrug that maintains glutathione in tissues. The present study was designed to investigate anti-fibrotic and anti-oxidative effects of OTC via modulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in an in vivo thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic fibrosis model. Treatment with OTC (80 or 160 mg/kg) improved serum liver function parameters and significantly ameliorated liver fibrosis. The OTC treatment groups exhibited significantly lower expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin, transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$, and collagen ${\alpha}1$ mRNA than that in the TAA model group. Furthermore, the OTC treatment groups showed a significant decrease in hepatic malondialdehyde level compared to that in the TAA model group. Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 expression increased significantly in the OTC treatment groups compared with that in the TAA model group. Taken together, these results suggest that OTC restores the anti-oxidative system by upregulating Nrf2; thus, ameliorating liver injury and a fibrotic reaction.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.722-727
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• 2009

The technology of distinguishing human motion states is required in the areas of measuring and analyzing biosignals changing according to physical activities, diagnosing sleep disorder, screening the effect of treatment, examining chronic patients' kinetic state, prescribing exercise therapy, etc. The present study implemented a fuzzy inference system based on fuzzy rules that distinguish human motion states (tying, sitting, walking, and running) by acquiring and processing data of LAA, TAA, L-MAD, and T-MAD using ADXL202AE of Analog Devices embedded in an armband. The membership degree and fuzzy rules in each area of input (LAA, TAA, L-MAD, and T-MAD) and output (tying, sitting, walking, and running) data used here were determined using numeric data obtained from experiment. In the results of analyzing data for simulation generated in order of tying$\rightarrow$walking$\rightarrow$running$\rightarrow$tying, the sorting rate for motion states tying, sitting, walking, and running was 100% for each motion.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Chaenomelis Fructus (CF) water extract on thioacetamide (TAA)-treated rats. Methods: Rats were divided into five groups: one normal group (n=8) and four with TAA-induced hepatic injury. These treatment groups were administered distilled water (n=8); silymarin 100 mg/kg (n=8); CF 100 mg/kg (n=8); and CF 200 mg/kg (n=8). In the TAA groups, the acute liver injury was induced via IP injection (200 mg/kg), and the silymarin and CF extract were then orally administered for three days. Subsequently, serum levels of GOT, GPT, and ammonia were confirmed as well as protein expressions using liver tissue. Results: In the liver injury-induced rats, CF administration reduced tissue damage and serum levels of GOT, GPT, and ammonia. In addition, CF increased the anti-oxidant proteins Nrf2, Keap1, HO-1, and catalase and significantly regulated matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2). Conclusions: In this animal model of liver injury induced by TAA, CF extract is determined to have a hepatoprotective effect by increasing anti-oxidant proteins that relieve damage and by regulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinases.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.263-288
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• 2022

Purpose Recently, the tours and activities (TAA) market provided by online travel agencies (OTA) has grown rapidly and has become the third-largest in the travel industry. However, compared to its practical proliferation, TAA has not yet received much academic attention. This study aims to discuss the effect of the four domains (e.g., educational, entertainment, escapist, and esthetic experiences) of the experience economy on users' memorable tourism experiences (MTE), satisfaction, and loyalty in the context of TAA. Moreover, the study investigates how this mechanism varies depending on the tour guides' professional competency. Design/methodology/approach This study developed a research model based on the S-O-R framework. Using the survey method, data were collected from consumers who had experienced TAA offered by OTA more than once within one year. A total of 307 respondents (consumers) were used for the final analysis, and developed hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model technique. Findings The results of this study are as follows. First, educational, entertainment, and escapism experiences in the experience economy positively affect MTE. Second, within the experience economy, entertainment and esthetic experiences have a positive effect on satisfaction. Third, MTE positively influences satisfaction, repurchase intention, and recommendation intention. Fourth, satisfaction has a positive impact on repurchase and recommendation intentions. Finally, according to the level of tour guides' professional competency, there is a significant difference in the effect of escapism experience on MTE/satisfaction.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2018

Ankle osteoarthritis is a debilitating condition that causes severe pain associated with functional impairment and decreased activity. Ankle osteoarthritis, unlike that of the knee or hip joint, is rare in primary arthritis. Most cases are traumatic arthritis that occur after ankle sprain or fractures or chronic ankle instability. Although ankle fusion has been regarded as the standard treatment of ankle osteoarthritis in the past, total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is increasing due to the development of the implant design and surgical techniques. TAA is biomechanically superior to ankle fusion by preserving the movement of the ankle joint. In particular, it is functionally superior to ankle fusion because it enables normal joint motion during gait. In addition, there is an advantage of preserving the movement of the hindfoot and reducing the abnormal stress applied to the adjacent joints after ankle fusion to prevent the occurrence of long-term adjacent joint arthritis. Although the short-term and mid-term results of TAA have been reported to be excellent, long-term follow-up has a relatively low survival rate and high complication rate compared to total knee or hip arthroplasty. Therefore, continuous and further research is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 1984

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of the topping time and height on the nonvolatile organic and higher fatty acid contents and the correlation among acid contents of tobacco plants. Within the topping time, the flowering (normal) stage of topping was the lowest in total analyzed acid (TAA), total nonvolatile organic acid (TNOA) and magic acid contents of NC2326, however, the highest in those of Burley 21 on 30 days after budding. Total higher fatty acid (THFA) and linoleic acid contents tended to be low with normal stage of topping. The lower the topping height, the lower the TAA, THFA and linoleic acid contents in middle and upper leaves (or NC2326 and Burley 21 were observed. On the other hand, the lower the topping height, the lower the TNOA and malic acid contents in middle and upper leaves for Burley 21 and upper leaves for NC2326 were found. There was a significant positive correlation between magic acid and TNOA contents. Similarly, TAA content showed a significant positive correlation with TNOA, oxalic acid and citric acid contents. But there was a negative correlation between malic acid and THFA contents. There were highly positive correlations among oleic acid, linoleic acid and THFA contents, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.544-552
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• 2021

This study investigated the anti-fibrotic and antioxidant effects of Paeonia Radix Alba water extract (PR) on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis in a mouse model and its underlying mechanisms. Liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of TAA (three times a week) for 8 weeks. Furthermore, silymarin (50 mg/kg body weight) and PR (200 mg/kg body weight) were administered for 8 weeks. PR treatment downregulated aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), ammonia, and myeloperoxidase levels. Moreover, PR treatment downregulated NOX2 and p47phox and upregulated antioxidant enzymes by activating the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, PR inhibited the factors associated with fibrosis, such as α-SMA and collagen I. AMPK/SIRT1 was upregulated by PR treatment. Overall, these results suggest that PR attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the Nrf2/Keap1 and AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB signaling pathways through the inhibition of oxidative stress. Hence, PR has potential as a remedy for preventing and treating liver fibrosis.