• Laboraroty Animal Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.57-67
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• 2017

The inhibitory effects of Asparagus cochinchinensis against inflammatory response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), substance P and phthalic anhydride (PA) treatment were recently reported for some cell lines and animal models. To evaluate the hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of A. cochinchinensis toward the livers and kidneys of ICR mice, alterations in related markers including body weight, organ weight, urine composition, liver pathology and kidney pathology were analyzed in male and female ICR mice after oral administration of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight/day saponin-enriched extract of A. cochinchinensis (SEAC) for 14 days. The saponin, total flavonoid and total phenol levels were found to be 57.2, 88.5 and 102.1 mg/g in SEAC, respectively, and the scavenging activity of SEAC gradually increased in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, body and organ weight, clinical phenotypes, urine parameters and mice mortality did not differ between the vehicle and SEAC treated group. Furthermore, no significant alterations were measured in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and the serum creatinine (Cr) in the SEAC treated group relative to the vehicle treated group. Moreover, the specific pathological features induced by most toxic compounds were not observed upon liver and kidney histological analysis. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that SEAC does not induce any specific toxicity in the livers and kidneys of male and female ICR mice at doses of 600 mg/kg body weight/day.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.71-80
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• 2021

Objectives : This study investigated cellular-protective effects of Nardotidis seu Sulculii Concha water extract (NSCE) against oxidative stress induced by arachidonic acid (AA)+iron or tert-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP). Methods : In vitro, MTT assay was assessed for cell viability, and immunoblotting analysis was performed to detect expression of AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway and autophagy related proteins. In vivo, mice were orally administrated with the aqueous extract of NSCE of 500 mg/kg for 3 days, and then injected with CCl₄ 0.5 mg/kg body weight to induce acute damage. The level of liver damage was measured by serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) analysis. Results : Treatment with NSCE inhibited cell death induced by AA+iron and tBHP. NSCE induced the phosphorylation of AMPK, and this compound also induced the phosphorylation of LKB1, an upstream kinase of AMPK, and Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), a primary downstream target of AMPK. NSCE increased the protein levels of autophagic markers (LC3II and beclin-1) and decreased the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and simultaneously increased the phosphorylation of unc-51-like kinase-1 (ULK-1) in time-dependent manner. Conclusions : NSCE has the ability 1) to protect cells against oxidative stress induced by AA+iron or tBHP. NSCE 2) to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and 3) to regulate autophagy, an important regulator in cell survival.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.167-176
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• 2014

Objectives : This study investigated the improvement effects of Gangjihwan (DF) and combination of Gangjihwan and Gamisochehwan (GSH) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in a high fat diet-induced obese mouse model. Methods : Eight-week-old C57BL/6N mice were divided into five groups: a normal lean group given a standard diet, an obese control group given a high fat diet, and atorvastatin, DF, and DF+GSH groups given a high fat diet with atorvastatin (10 mg/kg), DF (40 mg/kg), and DF+GSH (80 mg/kg), respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, body weight gain, blood lipid markers, ALT concentrations, liver weight and histology were examined. Results : 1. Body weight gain was significantly decreased in DF, DF+GSH and atorvastatin groups compared with control. The extent of decreases was eminent in DF+GSH group. 2. Circulating concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were decreased in DF, DF+GSH and atorvastatin groups compared with control. The decreases were significant in DF+GSH and atorvastatin groups. 3. Liver weights were decreased in DF, DF+GSH and atorvastatin groups compared with control. In particular, liver weight was significantly reduced only in DF+GSH group. 4. Hepatic lipid accumulation was significantly decreased in DF, DF+GSH and atorvastatin groups compared with control, and the magnitude of which was more effective in DF+GSH group than in DF-only group. 5. Circulating ALT concentrations were decreased in DF, DF+GSH and atorvastatin compared with control, but ALS levels were significantly reduced only in DF+GSH group. Conclusions : In conclusion, these results suggest that DF decreases body weight gain, improves blood lipid metabolism, and reduces liver weight and hepatic lipid accumulation, contributing to the improvement of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, these effects were more effective in DF+GSH combination group than in DF-only group.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.229-238
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was perfonned to elucidate the clinical pictures of acute focal bacterial nephritis(nephronia) in children. Methods: We reviewed 9 children with nephronia diagnosed by ultrasonography or computed tomography of kidneys from September 1994 to August 2004. Results: The overall male to female ratio was 2:1, and the age distribution ranged from 0.1 to 6 years(mean $2.8{\pm}2.2$). The cardinal symptoms were fever, chills, abdominal pain and dysuria/frequency. The initial leukocyte count was $21,000{\pm}5,600/uL$, ESR $60{\pm}23mm/hr$, CRP $17{\pm}10\;mg/dl$. Pyuria was noted in every patient and persisted for $10.5{\pm}7.8$ days after antimicrobial treatment. Abdominal sonography demonstrated focal lesion of ill-defined margin and low echogenicity in 5 of 9 patients(55.6%), while computed tomography revealed nonenhancing low density area in all patients(100%). Three of 9 patients(33.3%) had vesicoureteral reflux, greater than grade III. The initial $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ scan showed one or multiple cortical defects in every patient, and improvements were noted in 2(33.3%) of 6 patients who received follow up scan after 4 months. Intravenous antibiotics was given in every patient under admission. Total febrile period was $11.8{\pm}6.3$ days(pre-admission, $4.0{\pm}3.0;$ post-admission, $7.8{\pm}5.5$ days) and the patients needed hospitalization for $17.2{\pm}8.1$ days. Conclusion: For the early diagnosis of 'acute focal bacterial nephritis' we should perform renal computed tomography first rather than ultrasonography, when the child has toxic symptoms and severe inflammatory responses in blood and urine.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2011

The gingival zenith is the most apical point of the gingival outline. This study aimed to quantify the mesio-distal and apico-coronal displacements of gingival zenith in maxillary anterior dentition. 50 healthy patients, who ranged in age from 25 to 36 years were recruited for the study. Alginate impressions of the study group were made and poured with the type III stone. The gingival zenith positions of maxillary anterior teeth were measured in a mesial-lateral direction from the vertical bisected midline. The apico-coronal displacements of the gingival zenith of lateral incisors were measured from a line joining the gingival zeniths of the central incisor and canine. The gingival zeniths were distally displaced in 90%, 53% and 23% of the maxillary cetral incisors, lateral incisors and canines respectively. The mean distal displacements of the gingival zeniths to the vertical bisected midline of central incisors, lateral incisors and canines were 0.90 mm, 0.29 mm and 0.06 mm respectively. The gingival zeniths of lateral incisors were positioned $0.73{\pm}0.43$ mm coronally to the line joining the gingival zenith of central incisors and canines. Consideration of these findings may improve restorative procedures in the anterior maxillary dentition.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2006

In the past, flooding is commonly occurred in the Bockha stream watershed area with inundation by the water and eroded sediments. The purpose of this study is to find the relationship between area under cultivation and amount of soil erosion in each watershed areas using geographic information system(GIS) for decreasing the damages of flooding. The soil erosion amounts were computed on GIS using by universal soil loss equation(USLE). Small catchment areas was divided by topography and computed soil erosion amounts. The mean amount of soil erosion is 0.03 $ton/ha{\cdot}yr$ on the condition of the 1,329 mm/yr annual precipitation. The high erosion area(0.05 $ton/ha{\cdot}yr$) is shown in farm areas of the Sangyong-ri in Baeksa-myeon. The high erosion watershed area is related on the slopes of the farm lands and bare soil areas adjoining between the mountain slope and fluvial streams show much amount of soil erosion.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.886-893
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• 2013

Several indigenous sulfite-resistant yeasts were isolated at the microbial succession stage of yeast flora during spontaneous fermentation of Campbell Early grapes using a YPD plate that contained 200 mg/L or 500 mg/L potassium metabisulfite. When they were applied to the wine fermentation using the Campbell Early grape and apple juices, strains S13 and D8 showed strong alcohol fermentation and good flavor production. They were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the phylogenetic analysis based on their ITS 1-5.8S-ITS II DNA sequences. The two yeast strains grew to a high cell density in the YPD media supplemented with 40%(w/v) glucose. They also grew rapidly in the YPD media at $40^{\circ}C$. While strain S13 showed some differences in cell density at the two temperatures, no marked difference was observed during the culture of strain D8. The strains grew relatively well at pH 5.0 and 9.0 compared with pH 7.0, which was the optimum pH for their growth. Especially, strain S13 cultivated in the YPD media at pH 9.0 grew to 93% of the growth of strain D8, which was obtained at pH 7.0.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.37C no.9
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• pp.811-820
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• 2012

GNSS signal is vulnerable to jamming signal because of well-known signal structure and weak signal power. For these reasons, the need for analysis of jamming effects and anti-jamming techniques of is increasing. In this paper, a GNSS signal generator is designed which includes a radio wave propagation model for six kind of tactical environments and a body masking model for the reception environment of a vehicle. The radio wave propagation model for downtown, rural, forest, coastline, waste land and snow or ice area is designed using two-ray model. The body masking model is designed the effect which the antenna is affected by the reception environment of a vehicle and radiation pattern from a user configuration. The performance of generated signals from the GNSS signal generator considering reception environment of a vehicle is evaluated by a commercial GPS L1 receiver(NordNav) in normal and jamming environment. Also, the generated GNSS signal is compared to a commercial GPS L1 H/W based RF signal generator(STR4500). The results show that the designed GNSS signal generator in a normal environment compared to the same navigation performance. In jamming environment, it is shown that the body masking effect and GNSS signal acquisition and tracking loss in compliance with the jamming signal are precisely working in the reception environment of a vehicle.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.39-43
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• 2008

A hiccup is caused by involuntary, intermittent, and spasmodic contractions of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. It starts with a sudden inspiration and ends with an abrupt closure of the glottis. Even though a hiccup is thought to develop through the hiccup reflex arc, its exact pathophysiology is still unclear. The etiologies include gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory abnormalities, psychogenic factors, toxic-metabolic disorders, central nervous system dysfunctions and irritation of the vagus and phrenic nerves. Most benign hiccups can be controlled by traditional empirical therapy such as breath holding and swallowing water. However, though rare, a persistent hiccup longer than 48 hours can lead to significant adverse effects including malnutrition, dehydration, insomnia, electrolyte imbalance, and cardiac arrhythmia. An intractable hiccup can sometimes even cause death. We herein describe a patient with non-small cell lung cancer who was severely distressed by a persistent hiccup.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the causes that induce the T-shape cracks at the joints in the jointed concrete pavements(JCPs). The finite element models of JCP including dowel bars were developed and the stress distribution in the slab was investigated under environmental loads. To investigate the effect of dowel bars on the transverse stresses at the joints that induce the T-shape cracks, the slab curling behavior was analyzed with and without dowel bars. In addition, the stress concentration was investigated when the dowel bar was not installed at the mid-depth of the slab. The results of this study showed that the transverse stresses were not affected by the dowel bars if the dowel bars were installed at the mid-depth of the slab. However, if the dowel bars were not installed at the mid-depth, the transverse stresses were concentrated at the dowel bar locations when the slab curled. The stress concentration was dependent on the contact characteristics between the dowel bar and concrete, and was significantly large when the dowel bar not installed at the mid-depth was located far from the edge of the slab. Therefore, to mitigate T-shape cracking in JCP, dowel bars should be very carefully installed and leveled at the proper locations.