• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2012

Objective : Myeongganbo (MGB) composited with Hovenia Semen, Puerariae Radix and Dioscoreae Rhizoma is the prescription for protection of liver function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of MGB extract against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury in mice. Methods : MGB extract was prepared by extracting with hot distilled water. The extract was freeze-dried following filtration through vacuum distillation system. Mice fasted for overnight were orally administrated with or without MGB extract of different doses (25-200 mg/kg/day). After 30 min, APAP was orally applied with a single dose (400 mg/kg). The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured in plasmas of mice. Glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase GSH-px), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) level were investigated in liver homogenates. Liver sections were stained with haematoxylin & eosin, anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ and anti-mouse COX-2 antibodies. Results : APAP treatment remarkably increased AST and ALT activities in plasma but inhibited GSH and GSH-px levels in liver homogenates. Also, liver injury was significantly accelerated by APAP treatment. Furthermore, APAP remarkably elevated COX-2 activity and TNF-${\alpha}$ levels in liver homogenates. However, administration of MGB extract was able to counteract these effects. Histological studies provided supportive evidence for biochemical and molecular analysis Conclusions : These results suggest that MGB extract has potent hepatoprotective effect against APAP-induced liver injury, these properties may contribute to liver disease care.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.169-183
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• 2008

This study was carried out to examine the attitude and recognition of oriental medical doctors on alternative medicine, which is increasingly used across the country. The data were collected from 264 oriental medical doctors who were working in oriental medical clinics in Daegu City, Gyeongbuk Province, using self-administered questionnaire from 1 March to 15 April 2007. Generally, the respondents have some positive attitude and recognition on alternative medicine including knowledge, interest and usefulness, efficacy of alternative medicine. However, they have some negative view on the expense of alternative medicine. And they also thought that introducing alternative medicine in their clinics was needed for better treatment and actually about 70% of the respondents recommended or applied alternative medicine to their patients. Around 40% of the respondents did not have the chance of education on alternative medicine officially. About 60% of the respondents thought that the oriental medical school was the best institute to provide the education of alternative medicine, followed by the oriental medical doctors's association. For the development of alternative medicine, they thought that the scientific research on alternative medicine by oriental medical doctors and professionals was highly needed.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2002

Obesity is a serious medical disorder because it can cause a myriad of health problems, such as heart disease, hypertension, and adult-onset diabetes. While conventional medical treatment for obesity has limitations, there is enormous public enthusiasm for complementary and alternative treatments of obesity. This article reviews currently commonly used complementary and alternative therapies for obesity, such as medicinal herbs, nutritional supplements and acupuncture. Beneficial effects and possible adverse effects associated with these treatment are discussed.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.48-56
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• 2023

Genomic information stored in the DNA is transcribed to the mRNA and translated to proteins. The 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) of the mRNA serve pivotal roles in post-transcriptional gene expression, regulating mRNA stability, translation, and localization. Similar to DNA mutations producing aberrant proteins, RNA alterations expand the transcriptome landscape and change the cellular proteome. Recent global analyses reveal that many genes express various forms of altered RNAs, including 3'UTR length variants. Alternative polyadenylation and alternative splicing are involved in diversifying 3'UTRs, which could act as a hidden layer of eukaryotic gene expression control. In this review, we summarize the functions and regulations of 3'UTRs and elaborate on the generation and functional consequences of 3'UTR diversity. Given that dynamic 3'UTR length control contributes to phenotypic complexity, dysregulated 3'UTR diversity might be relevant to disease development, including cancers. Thus, 3'UTR diversity in cancer could open exciting new research areas and provide avenues for novel cancer theragnostics.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.730-748
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• 2008

Students often have tenacious physics misconceptions and many studies were conducted on engendering conceptual change. Correspondingly, there is much literature on alternative assessment and its role in student learning. This is a comparison study on using alternative assessments to improve common students' misconceptions in GCE Advanced Level Physics. This research also aims to affirm alternative assessment as a valid tool for learning and promote its use. This study involved two classes with 24 students each. For four weeks, electromagnetism was taught to students using the same classroom pedagogies but with different assignments. The control group completeda standard drill-and-practice assignment while the experimental group finished an alternative assessment. From the preliminary results, students who undertook the alternative assessment and the traditional assessment both improved, however, the treatment group did not perform statistically significantly better than the control group. The reasons will be discussed and commented and it is expected to have significant improvement on rectifying misconceptionsupon next batch of experimentation groups.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1042-1045
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• 2009

A commercial propolis was investigated in terms of its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities. The contents of total phenol and flavonoid of propolis were 8.3 and 6.6 mg, respectively. The reducing power of the propolis increased with concentration increasing. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was shown at 82.70% in 1,000 ${\mu}g/mL$ of the propolis. 2,2'-Azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging effect of antioxidant activity on the propolis was 35.64 g/sample. The propolis showed high antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus at all concentration of propolis. All of the cancer cell lines have 53-73% as effective growth inhibition. These results showed that the commercial propolis has potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cancer cell proliferative inhibition activities thus, propolis can be applied to the functional food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2008

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigative the effects of Gagambojungikgi-tang (GBT), a Korean herbal medicine, on the immune mediators, T cell proliferation and wound healing in the recombinant Sj26 (rSj26) antigen induced atopic dermatitis(AD) model mice. Methods : GBT is the water extracts prepared from mixture of Ginseng Radix, Astragali Radix, Angelicae gigantis Radix, Atractylodes Rhizoma alba, Aurantii nobilis Pericarpium, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Artemisia iwayomogi Herba, Scutellaria Radix, Lonicera japonica Flos. This is a modified prescription of Bojungikgi-tang, which has been used for the treatment of indigestion, and immunological disease in east-asian countries. GBT was orally administered or externally applied at difference doses. The levels of immune mediators [(IgE, IgG1, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Th1/Th2 cytokines], T cell proliferation, and wound healing in the rSj26 or chemical antigen induced AD model BALB/c were investigated. Results : GBT dose-dependently suppressed the release of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ (Th1 cytokines), IL-4, IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), PGE2 (inflammatory mediators) and T cell proliferation. But GBT increased the production of IFN-${\gamma}$ (Th1 cytokine). Furthermore, A wound healing effect of GBT was similar to external application of dexamethasone. Conclusions : These results suggest that GBT suppresses the inflammatory mediators and regulates the Thl/Th2 cytokines, and promotes the wound healing. Therefore, these properties may contribute to the strong anti-AD effect of GBT.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.83-93
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• 2018

This study analyzed the effects of women's SNS use on their alternative behaviors of managing health. This study paid attention to how women's behaviors of seeking information about poisonous menstrual products and alternative menstrual products would impact their intention to use alternative menstrual products. Mainly based on health belief model, 11 hypotheses were created and tested through a path analysis of survey data. Results from the path analysis indicated that SNS information about menstrual products were significantly associated with perceived advantage of alternative menstrual products and perceived sensitivity of poisonous menstrual products. In addition, four main factors-self-efficacy, perceived sensitivity, perceived advantage, and perceived disadvantage-were significantly associated with women's intention to use alternative menstrual products.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.7.1-7.7
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• 2015

Objectives The widely promising applications of graphene nanomaterials raise considerable concerns regarding their environmental and human health risk assessment. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the toxicity profiling of graphene family nanano-materials (GFNs) in alternative in vitro and in vivo toxicity testing models. Methods The GFNs used in this study are graphene nanoplatelets ([GNPs]-pristine, carboxylate [COOH] and amide [$NH_2$]) and graphene oxides (single layer [SLGO] and few layers [FLGO]). The human bronchial epithelial cells (Beas2B cells) as in vitro system and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as in vivo system were used to profile the toxicity response of GFNs. Cytotoxicity assays, colony formation assay for cellular toxicity and reproduction potentiality in C. elegans were used as end points to evaluate the GFNs' toxicity. Results In general, GNPs exhibited higher toxicity than GOs in Beas2B cells, and among the GNPs the order of toxicity was pristine > $NH_2$ > COOH. Although the order of toxicity of the GNPs was maintained in C. elegans reproductive toxicity, but GOs were found to be more toxic in the worms than GNPs. In both systems, SLGO exhibited profoundly greater dose dependency than FLGO. The possible reason of their differential toxicity lay in their distinctive physicochemical characteristics and agglomeration behavior in the exposure media. Conclusions The present study revealed that the toxicity of GFNs is dependent on the graphene nanomaterial's physical forms, surface functionalizations, number of layers, dose, time of exposure and obviously, on the alternative model systems used for toxicity assessment.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2021

Bcl-x, a member of the Bcl-2 family, plays a key role in apoptosis. Alternative splicing of Bcl-x pre-mRNA through alternative 5' splice-site selection produces an anti-apoptotic mRNA isoform that includes exon 2b and a pro-apoptotic Bcl-x mRNA isoform that excludes exon 2b. Here we used Bcl-x minigene and identified SRSF2 and SRSF6 as two regulatory factors of 5' splice-site selection of Bcl-x pre-mRNA. We selected binding clusters closer to 5' splice-sites from multiple potential binding sites of SRSF2 and SRSF6 to perform loss of functions analysis through site-directed mutagenesis. Our results demonstrated that these mutations did not abolish regulatory functions of SRSF2 or SRSF6, indicating that a single binding motif or a cluster was not a functional target of these proteins in Bcl-x pre-mRNA splicing. Random deletion mutagenesis did not disrupt the role of SRSF2 and SRSF6. Importantly, mutagenesis of 5' splice-site to a conserved or a weaker score demonstrated that the weaker strength of the target 5' splice-site or higher strength of the other 5' splice-site strength limited the role of SRSF2 and SRSF6 in 5' splice-site activation.