• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2021

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing unmethylated CpG phosphorothioate (PS CpG-ODN) are known to decrease IgE synthesis in Th2 allergy responses. Nonetheless, the therapeutic role of PS CpG-ODN is limited due to cytotoxicity. Therefore, we developed a phosphodiester (PO) form of CpG-ODN (46O) with reduced toxicity but effective against allergies. In this study, we first compared the toxicity of 46O with CpG-ODNs containing a PS backbone (1826S). We also investigated the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of 46O injected intravenously in a mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD). To elucidate the mechanism of 46O underlying the inhibition of IgE production, IgE- and TGF-β-associated molecules were evaluated in CD40/IL-4- or LPS/IL-4-stimulated B cells. Our data showed that the treatment with 46O was associated with a lower hematological toxicity compared with 1826S. In addition, injection with 46O reduced erythema, epidermal thickness, and suppressed IgE and IL-4 synthesis in mice with OVA-induced AD. Additionally, 46O induced TGF-β production in LPS/IL-4-stimulated B cells via inhibition of Smad7, which suppressed IgE synthesis via interaction between Id2 and E2A. These findings suggest that enhanced TGF-β signaling is an effective treatment for IgE-mediated allergic conditions, and 46O may be safe and effective for treating allergic diseases such as AD and asthma.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.153-162
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze the STS (science-technology-society) contents in chemistry chapters of middle school science textbooks standardized by 7th national curriculum, and to investigate chemistry teachers' perception of STS education. This study was based on 8 essential elements in STS education suggested by Yager and 9 activities in SATIS (science and technology in society). The questionnaire and interview were used to investigate chemistry teachers' perception. As a result of this study, the average value of the STS contents in chemistry chapters of 7 kinds of middle school science textbooks was 22.4%, and the STS contents were preponderated to essential elements of science application and local and community relevance. And STS contents showed that science 2 textbooks were the most of all and in order of science 1 textbooks and science 3 textbooks. As a result of analysis by activities in SATIS, most activities were practice activity, problem-solving and decision making, and structured discussion. Chemistry teachers' perceptions of STS education were following. There were many responses that STS education was necessary for educational efficiency. On the other hand STS education was unnecessary because there were few effective teaching-learning method related with STS education. From these results, middle school science textbooks have to be complemented because 2 essential elements of the STS contents were preponderated in the science textbooks. And the teaching-learning method connected with STS education will have to be developed for the efficiency of STS education.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.215-228
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• 1999

Background: Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease of unknown etiology often involving the lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes. The natural course of sarcoidosis is variable from spontaneous remission to significant morbidity or death. But, the mechanisms causing the variable clinical outcomes or any single parameter to predict the prognosis was not known. In sarcoidosis, the number and the activity of CD4 + lymphocytes are significantly increased at the loci of disease and their oligoclonality suggests that the CD4 + lymphocytes hyperreactivity may be caused by persistent antigenic stimulus. Recently, it has been known that CD4+ lymphocytes can be subdivided into 2 distinct population(Th1 and Th2) defined by the spectrum of cytokines produced by these cells. Th1 cells promote cellular immunity associated with delayed type hypersensitivity reactions by generating IL-2 and IFN-$\gamma$. Th2 cells playa role in allergic responses and immediate hypersensitivity reactions by secreting IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10. CD4+ lymphocytes in pulmonary sarcoidosis were reported to be mainly Th1 cells. IL-12 has been known to play an important role in differentiation of undifferentiated naive T cells to Th1 cells. And, Moller et al. observed increased IL-12 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) in patients with sarcoidosis. So it is possible that the elevated level of IL-12 is necessary for the continuous progression of the disease in active sarcoidosis. This study was performed to test the assumption that IL-12 can be a marker of active pulmonary sarcoidosis. Methods: We measured the concentration of IL-12 in BALF and in conditioned medium of alveolar macrophage(AM) using ELISA(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method in 26 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis(10 males, 16 females, mean age: $39.8{\pm}2.1$ years) and 11 normal control. Clinically, 14 patients had active sarcoidosis and 12 patients had inactive. Results: Total cells counts, percentage and number of lymhocytes, number of AM and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio in BALF were significantly higher in patients with sarcoidosis than in control group. But none of these parameters could differentiate active sarcoidosis from inactive disease. The concentration of IL-12 in BALF was significantly increased in sarcoidosis patients ($49.3{\pm}9.2$ pg/ml) than in normal control ($2.5{\pm}0.4$ pg/ml) (p<0.001). Moreover it was significantly higher in patients with active sarcoidosis ($70.3{\pm}14.8$ pg/ml) than in inactive disease ($24.8{\pm}3.l$ pg/ml) (p=0.001). Also, the concentration of IL-12 in BALF showed significant correlation with the percentage of AM(p<0.001), percentage(p<0.001) and number of lymphocyte(p<0.001) in BALF, suggesting the close relationship between the level of IL-12 in BALF and the inflammatory cell infiltration in the lungs. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between the level of IL-12 and the concentration of soluble ICAM-1 : in serum(p<0.001) and BALF (p=0.001), and also between IL-12 level and ICAM-1 expression of AM(p<0.001). The AM from patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis secreted significantly larger amount of IL-12 ($206.2{\pm}61.9$ pg/ml) than those of control ($68.3{\pm}43.7$ pg/ml) (p<0.008), but, there was no difference between inactive and active disease group. Conclusion : Our data suggest that the BALF IL-12 level can be used as a marker of the activity of pulmonary sarcoidosis.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2010

For industrialization of the hard clams, Meretrix petechiails (Lamarck), spawning was induced per spawning induction technique in the artificial maturation group administered of parent maturation control and the natural maturation group of which parents were transported for artificial spawning per time period. Then, fertilization rates, hatching rates and D-shaped larva development rates were investigated. In addition, growth and survival rates of larvae were investigated per larva breeding technique. The results of spawning induction by exposure in the artificial maturation group indicated that response rates were relatively higher at 23% and 32% respectively at the 4th hour and the 8th hour of exposure. In terms of water temperature increase, responses began only when the temperature reached $28^{\circ}C$ or higher. In the experiment group administered with both exposure and water temperature increase techniques, response rate was found to be 45% or higher at the 4th hour of exposure and the temperature of $28^{\circ}C$. At the temperatures of 29, 30 and $31^{\circ}C$, significant differences were not observed. Therefore, it was indicated that the response rates of parent hard clams were higher toward water temperature increase than exposure time. As for spawning induction per time period of the transported parent group, response rate and D-shaped larva development rate were the highest at 67.6% and 96% respectively on August 6, 2009. In terms of water temperatures during larva breeding experiment, growth was faster as water temperature was higher. In addition, growth and survival rates were relatively higher at the salinity of 25. In terms of stocking density, growth and survival rates were relatively higher at 5 inds./mL.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.350-358
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• 2023

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral infectious disease that occurs in children under 5 years of age. Its main causes are coxsackievirus (CV) and enterovirus (EV). Since there are no efficient therapeutics for HFMD, vaccines are effective in preventing the disease. To develop broad coverage against CV and EV, the development of a bivalent vaccine form is needed. The Mongolian gerbil is an efficient and suitable animal model of EV71 C4a and CVA16 infection used to investigate vaccine efficacy following direct immunization. In this study, Mongolian gerbils were immunized with a bivalent inactivated EV71 C4a and inactivated CVA16 vaccine to test their effectiveness against viral infection. Bivalent vaccine immunization resulted in increased Ag-specific IgG antibody production; specifically, EV71 C4a-specific IgG was increased with medium and high doses and CVA16-specific IgG was increased with all doses of immunization. When gene expression of T cell-biased cytokines was analysed, Th1, Th2, and Th17 responses were found to be highly activated in the high-dose immunization group. Moreover, bivalent vaccine immunization mitigated paralytic signs and increased the survival rate following lethal viral challenges. When the viral RNA content was determined from various organs, all three doses of bivalent vaccine immunization were found to significantly decrease viral amplification. Upon histologic examination, EV71 C4a and CVA16 induced tissue damage to the heart and muscle. However, bivalent vaccine immunization alleviated this in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the bivalent inactivated EV71 C4a/CVA16 vaccine could be a safe and effective candidate HFMD vaccine.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.79-93
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• 2023

This study used metaphors as a analysis tool to investigate elementary school students' formation and development of angle concepts. For this purpose, the students were asked to write words associated with angle, right angle, acute angle and obtuse angle and to explain why. In case of angle and right angle, responses of 268 students from 3rd to 6th graders were analyzed and for acute angle and obtuse angle, those of 192 students from 4th to 6th graders were examined. As the results of categorizing the metaphors, they can be classified into categories such as; (1) qualitative aspects: 'things metaphor', 'personality metaphor', 'emotions metaphor' etc., (2) quantitative aspects: 'motions metaphor', 'changes metaphor', 'emotions metaphor' etc., and (3) relational aspects: 'shape relations metaphor.' The metaphoric expressions were prominent in 'qualitative aspects' associated with shapes. As for the other aspects, 'quantitative aspect'- the size of angles and the amount of spread and 'relational aspects' - elements of angle and relationship with another shapes, the frequency increses were shown to as grade levels were up. In case of right angle and acute angle, 'qualitative aspects' associated with shapes were outstanding and the frequency of the metaphoric expressions of obtuse angle was distributed similarly in three aspects. As the figure strand and the measurement strand are integrated to an strand in the 2022 revised curriculum, we need more discussion of multifaced aspects of angle and the learning sequences in the 'figure and measurement' strand.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.169-191
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• 1997

Hyangpaeyangyeongtang, which was first prescribed in the book of Euijonggumgam (醫宗金鑑), has been widely applied to the treatment of scrofula and carbuncle in the neck and tumor as well in the oriental medicine. The Fritillariae roylei bulbus was also used as an anti-tumor medicine. In order to investigate the effect of Hyangpaeyangyeongtang and Fritillariae roylei bulbus extracts on the immune responses to the epithelioma induced by 3-methylcholanthrene and prostaglandin-$F_2{\alpha}$ in mice, the change of epithelioma size was observed and delayed type hypersensitivity, hemagglutinin titer, hemolysin titer, rosette forming cells, natural killer cell activity, lymphocyte transformation, productivity of interleukin-2 and phagocytic activity were also measured. The results were as follows; 1. The epithelioma size was decreased with statistical significance in the Hyangpaeyangyeongtang group at the 14th day, as compared with the control group. 2. Delayed type hypersensitivity was not shown any decrease in the Hyangpaeyangyeongtang group and the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group, as compared with the control group. 3. Hemagglutinin titer was increased with statistical significance in the Hyangpaeyangyeongtang group, but not in the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group as compared with the control group. 4. Hemolysin titer was increased with statistical significance in the Hyangpaeyangyeongtang group, but not in the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group as compared with the control group. 5. Rosette forming cells were not increased in the Hyangpaeyangyeong tang group, but increased with statistical significance in the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group as compared with the control group. 6. Natural killer cell activity at the ratio 100:1 of effector cells to target cells was increased with statistical significance in the Hyangpaeyayeongngtang group and the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group respectively, and the natural killer cell activity at the ratio of 50:1 and 10:1 of effector cells to target cells Hyangpaeyangyeongtang group was increased with statistical significance as compared with the control group. 7. Lymphocyte transformation was increased in the Hyangpaeyangyeong tang group and the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group respectively, as compared with the control group. 8. Productivity of interleukin-2 was increased in the Hyangpaeyangyecing tang group and the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group respectively, as compared with the control group. 9. Phagocytic activity was not shown any decrease in the Hyangpaeyangyeongtang group and the Fritillariae roylei bulbus group, as compared with the control group.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.187-190
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• 1998

The cytotoxic activity of MeOH extracts of the freeze-dried silkworm (Bombyx mori)-derived materials (4th instar larvae, female and mate pupae, virgin female and male adult), dried Beauveria bassiana-infected silkworm larvae, dried feces from the 4th instar larvae B. mori, and dried mulberry (Morus alba)-derived materials (leaves, fruits, root barks) in vitro was evaluated by sulforhodamine B assay, using the five human solid A 549 lung, SK-OV-2 ovarian, SK-MEL-2 melanoma, XF-498 CNS and HCT-15 colon tumor cell lines. The responses varied with both cell line and material used. The 70% hot MeOH extract of B. mori feces (BFH) revealed potent cytotoxic activity against model tumor cell lines whereas moderate activity was observed from the MeOH extract of B. mori feces. M. alba root barks, and M. alba fruits. The other test materials were ineffective. Because of its potent cytotoxic activity, the activity of each solvent fraction from the BFH was determined. Chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions showed the most potent cytotoxic activity. In conclusion, our results may be an indication of at least one of the pharmacological actions of B. mori feces. M. alba root barks, and M. alba fruits.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2012

Objectives : The current study was conducted in order to investigate teachers' recognition of school bullying using a nationwide database of adolescents in middle and high school in Korea. Methods : Students in the 7th to 12th grades at 23 secondary schools participated in the current study during the fall of 2009. Subjects completed the self-report form of the Adolescent Mental Health and Problem Behavior Screening Questionnaire-II (AMPQ-II) and Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R). In addition, relevant teachers used the teachers' rating scale of the AMPQ-II to report their students' status. Differences in the number of bullied students between teachers' recognition and students' report were explored. Results : A total of 2270 subjects provided relevant responses to the questionnaire. While the one-month prevalence of victimization according to students' self-reports was 28.9%, the recognized prevalence by teachers was only 10.6%. For prediction of the presence of school bullying according to students' self reports on the AMPQ-II, item 7 of the teachers' report on the AMPQ-II showed a sensitivity of 16%, a specificity of 92%, a positive predictability of 44%, a negative predictability of 72%, a false positive rate of 8%, a false negative rate of 84%, and an accuracy of 69%, respectively. No significant differences in subscores of students' self reports of the AMPQ-II and SCL-90-R were observed between bullied students who were recognized by teachers and those who were not recognized. In stepwise discriminant analysis, classification of teachers' item 2 and item 7 on the AMPQ-II with respect to school bullying according to students' reports showed an accuracy of 63.4%. Using this model, 75.2% of non-victimized subjects were classified correctly, while only 35.2% of victimized subjects were classified correctly. Conclusion : Despite the high prevalence in Korea, teachers' recognition of school violence among their students remains low. Pre-professional and continuing education to improve teachers' understanding of school bullying and knowledge of effective classroom-based prevention activities should be encouraged.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.29-45
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• 2000

In order to investigate the antitumor effect by Dangguihwalhyultang after B-l6 cells were transplanted in C57BL/6 mice, and the immune responses in mice induced by methotrexate, the extract of Dangguihwalhyultang was orally administered to the ICR mice. Experimental studies were performed for measurance of metastasis, cell cytotoxicity in vitro, life extention, weight of cancer, natural killer cell activity. productivity of interleukin-2. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Mean survival time in Dangguihwalhyultang-treated group was prolonged, as compared with control group(14.63%) significantly(P<0.05). 2. Inhibition of metastasis in Dangguihwalhyultang-treated group was higher than control group with significance on 14th day(P<0.05). 3. On the weight of solid tumor. Dangguihwalhyultang-treated group was less than control group with significance(P<0.05). 4. On the MTT assay. Dangguihwalhyultang concentration inhibited cell viability was $368.8{\mu}g/well$. 5. Natural killer cell activity in Dangguihwalhyultang-treated group was significantly increased on 100:1, 50:1 E/T(effect cell/target cell) ratio(P<0.05). 6. Production of interleukin-2 in Dangguihwalhyultang-treated group was significantly increased(P<0.05).