• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.157-171
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• 2001

Astrocytes are glial cells that play a major role in the inflammation observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Upon stimulation from various agents, these cells adopt a reactive phenotype, a morphological hallmark in AD pathology, during which they themselves may produce still more inflammatory cytokines. Substance P (SP) can stimulate secretion of tumor necrosis $factor-\;{\alpha}$ $(TNF-\;{\alpha})$ from astrocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here I report that Sunghyangjungkisan- ga- pogokyoung(Sgp) can modulate cytokines secretion from primary cultures of rat astrocytes. Sgp $(10\;to\;1000\;{\mu}g/ml)$ significantly inhibited the $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion by astrocytes stimulated with LPS and SP. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been shown to elevate $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion from LPS-stimulated astrocytes while having no effect on astrocytes in the absence of LPS. Treatment of Sgp $(10\;to\;1000\;{\mu}g/ml)$ to astrocytes stimulated with both LPS and SP decreased IL-1 secretion significantly. The secretion of $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ by LPS and SP in astrocytes was progressively inhibited with increasing amount of IL-1 neutralizing antibody. Neurodegenerative processes in AD are thought to be driven in part by the deposition of ${\beta}\;-amyloid\;(A\;{\beta})$, a 39- to 43-amino acid peptide product resulting from an alternative cleavage of amyloid precursor protein. Sgp $(10\;to\;1000\;{\mu}g/ml)$ significantly inhibited the $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion by astrocytes stimulated with $A-{\beta}-$and IL-1. These results suggest that Sgp may inhibit $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion by inhibiting IL-1 secretion and that Sgp has an antiinflammatory activity in AD brain

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.1918-1920
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• 2005

The color and structure of urban constructions is a factor of urban landscape and shows their characteristics. Hence the modern buildings with their materials and external appearance makes up the urban image. But still yet, it was not easy to evaluate the value of visual landscape of buildings with objective measuring method. Most of all, it depends on the subjective estimation of a few talented or high educated experts with a sense of beauty. In relation to this kind of problems, it was tried here in this study to analyse the human response of brain wave pattern (EEG) with use of SD method, while the tested persons watched the urban landscape constructed in a visual reality. The tested persons were 10 adult males and females with no color blindness and intact cognitive function. Light source with color filter was used for color environment in chamber room. The signal of EEG is analysed digitally and grouped into the $\alpha$ and $\beta$ waves. The result showed that relative power of $\alpha$ wave ratio increased in natural landscape scenary clearly. From these results it was possible to evaluate the human response, which was affected by urban color and structure stimulation and it might be useful as an indicator of visual cognition amenity toward the design of urban construction environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.65-76
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• 2020

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study were to determine an intervention that involves proprioceptive exercises combined with cognitive task completion for adults with chronic ankle instability and to investigate the effects of the exercises on the static balance, dynamic balance, and ankle function of such individuals. METHODS: A total of 30 adults suffering from the aforementioned condition were randomly divided into experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups. The experimental group performed proprioceptive exercises in combination with cognitive tasks for 15 minutes in each session that was held three times a week for four 4 weeks, whereas the control group carried out only proprioceptive exercises. A Wii Balance Board, which enables examining the fluctuation area distance, and speed, was used to determine static balance; a Y-balance test kit was employed to measure dynamic balance; and the side hop, figure-of-8 hop, and square hop tests were conducted to ascertain ankle function. RESULTS: The results showed that the static balance, dynamic balance, and ankle function of both the experimental and control groups significantly improved. The participants were instructed to perform one-leg postural exercises with and without vision blocking for the affected leg. The experimental group showed more significant improvement than did the controls in terms of the fluctuation distance, speed, and area of static balance. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, although combined proprioceptive exercises and cognitive tasks were insufficient to enhance all types of balance among the subjects, it effectively reinforced their static balance.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.795-807
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• 2002

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a community-based nursing center model that can provide health promotion for infants and toddlers as well as a research and practice site for nursing faculty and students. Methods: Review of current health care system and health promotion programs, and workshops with brain-storming were carried out to identify needy areas of services to be provided by the nursing center. Finally, the community nursing center model was developed through expert consultation and filed visits. Results: The services and programs were developed for infants and toddlers residing in Seoul area. These services and programs include growth and developmental screening, environment and health problem assessment, infant stimulation and parent education, and self-help group. Full-time and part-time staff nurses and nurse practitioners will provide those services and offer home visiting if needed. Database system, health information system, and trainers' training programs were developed as well. Conclusion: The nursing center model developed in this study will ensure clients direct access to nursing care and increase of autonomy and accountability of nursing practices. The nursing center model focused on disease prevention and health promotion will enhance the quality of life of the infants, toddlers and their families as well as to decrease national health care expenditure.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.253-262
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• 1983

A survey was undertaken to investigate relationship between nutritional status and physical growth and behavior of school children. Dietary intakes, environmental factors, physical growth, personality, and cognitive development were measured in 323 children of 4 th and 6th grader in the urban and rural arcas. The results are summarized as follows : 1) The average intakes of the food groups and nutrients except ascorbic acid were lower in rural children. Comparing the intakes of the rural children with RDA of the Korean children, 64.0% of them in protein, 99.3% in calcium, 84.6% in iron, and 73.5% in riboflavin consumed less than 75% of RDA. Environmental factors were significantly related to the nutrient intakes 2) Height, weight, and head circumference were significantly related to the nutrient intakes. Retarded growth due to malnutrition was supposed in the $rural^{1)}$ area. 3) Some domains of personality were significantly related to nutrient intakes. 4) Environmental factors, physical growth, and nutrient intakes made independent contribution to variation in cognitive performance and their relative importance depended on the particular cognitive domain when stepwise multiple regression analyses were undertaken. Environmental stimulation was largely associated with verbal usage, and economic status and nutrient intakes with numerical reasoning. Above findings support that nutritional deprivation retards brain growth and performance on various cognitive dimensions of children. Therefore, amelioration of the several adverse social, economical, environmental influences as well as the improvement of dietary intake is required to bring about a substantial enhancement of the physical growth and the mental development of children.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2000

Background: Trigeminovascular system is implicated in the pathophysiology of the headache in migraine. This study was designed to evaluate the pattern of Fos protein expression in trigeminal nociceptive central pathway after meningeal stimulation of rats by capsaicin. Methods: The expression of Fos protein was examined by immunohistochemistry in thalamus, brainstem and upper cervical cord (at three levels corresponding to obex, 0.8 mm and 2 mm below obex) 2 hours after intracisternal injection of either diluted capsaicin solution (0.1 ml, $61{\mu}g/ml$) or normal saline (0.1 ml) through a catheter placed in the cisterna magna, or following epidural instillation of diluted capsaicin solution in urethane-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. Results: Fos immunoreactivity was strongly expressed within lamina I, II of bilateral trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) after cisternal capsaicin injection and magnitude of expression was greatest at level 2.0 mm below obex. Epidural capsaicin caused much less labelling than cisternal capsaicin. Fos positive cells were also observed in area postrema, nucleus of the solitary tract, medullary reticular nucleus and midline nuclear groups of the thalamus with similar intensity between capsaicin and control group. Conclusions: These results indicate that the injection of capsaicin into the cisterna magna is an effective stimulus for the induction of Fos protein within TNC through activation of trigeminovascular afferents and this animal model can be useful for the evaluation of the pathophysiology and drug development in migraine and related headache.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.471-481
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• 2017

Objectives : Noemyeong-san (NMS) is a novel herbal prescription composed of five oriental medicinal herbs including Prunellae Spica, Betulae Cortex, Foeniculi Fructus, Asiasari Radix, and Clematidis Radix for treating Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects and molecular mechanisms of NMS on BV2 microglia to evaluate the potential action of this formula for preventing or treating neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease. Methods : To determine the cytotoxicity of NMS on BV2 microglia, the MTT assay was performed. The effects of NMS on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia were determined with a nitric oxide (NO) assay and western blots for inflammatory mediator-related proteins, mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) pathway-related proteins, and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Result : NMS inhibited induction of iNOS and COX-2 as well as NO production without affecting the cell viability in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. NMS also suppressed activation of ERK and p38 MAPK among main kinases of MAPKs as well as NF-${\kappa}B$ by LPS stimulation. Furthermore, NMS dose-dependently induced the expression of HO-1 and the inhibitory effect of NMS on the production of NO were blocked by pretreatment with an HO-1 inhibitor, Snpp. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that NMS has potent anti-neuroinflammatory effect on the LPS-stimulated microglia. These findings provide evidences for NMS to be considered as a new prescription for preventing or treating neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.70-78
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was aimed at examining the effects of the application of EA (electroacupuncture) at GV20 and LI4 in the early cerebral ischemia on the size of cerebral infarction, COX-2 and IL-6. Methods : For this experiment, 21, six-week-old male S-D (Sprague - Dawley) rats weighting 160g to 200g were selected and randomly classified into 3 groups, seven rats in each group. Brain ischemia was simulated using a modified Koizumi method which was performed on each rat. In the GV20 group, the GV20 of the SD rats was stimulated for thirty minutes with acupunctural electrode low frequency stimulator five hours after inducement of ischemia. For the LI4 group, the LI4 was stimulated as above, while for the Ischemia group, no stimulation was applied. Twenty-four hours after the experiment, stained cerebral tissues were examined and an immuno-histological test was done to examine inflammatory reaction Results : Out of the three groups, the LI4 group showed the smallest size of cerebral infarction and the Ischemia group showed the highest COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) expression value in the cortex of the cerebrum. In addition, the LI4 group showed the lowest COX-2 expression value in unknown putamen out of the three groups. Conclusions : We infer that EA, applied at LI4 and GV20 in early ischemia, is effective in delaying the expression of IL-6 (interleukin-6) and COX-2, the inflammatory agents manifested from stroke. In addition, application at LI4, rather than GV20, can lower the expression value of the inflammatory agents. Further, EA can be an effective way to block early inflammatory reaction in stroke.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2007

Two bacterial strains isolated from soil (Bacillus subtilis strains: PS2 and RFO41) were evaluated to determine their promoting effect on the growth of tomato seedling under axonic and pot conditions. The production of phytohormone, such as indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-butyric acid, gibberellin and zeatin by these two strains was investigated as possible mechanisms for plant growth stimulation. Both PS2 and RFO41 were shown to produce various phytohormones, and. the production of phytohormones was stimulated by the addition of peptone-rich brain heart broth medium. In addition, these bacteria exhibited high levels of phosphatase activity, which ranged from 2.18 to $2.7\;{\mu}\;{\rho}-nitrophenol/ml/hr$. PS2 and RFO41 were applied to the pot test for growth of tomato seed with phosphate. Root and shoot lengths of germinated tomato after 15 days were 45.5% and 36.5% longer than that of control in RFO41 treated samples, respectively. Baciller sp. PS2 and RFO41 may have a potential for biofertilizer in the agriculture.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.129-140
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• 2017

In this paper, a $4{\times}32$-channel neural recording system capable of acquiring neural signals is introduced. Four 32-channel neural recording ICs, complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), a micro controller unit (MCU) with USB interface, and a PC are used. Each neural recording IC, implemented in $0.18{\mu}m$ CMOS technology, includes 32 channels of analog front-ends (AFEs), a 32-to-1 analog multiplexer, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The mid-band gain of the AFE is adjustable in four steps, and have a tunable bandwidth. The AFE has a mid-band gain of 54.5 dB to 65.7 dB and a bandwidth of 35.3 Hz to 5.8 kHz. The high-pass cutoff frequency of the AFE varies from 18.6 Hz to 154.7 Hz. The input-referred noise (IRN) of the AFE is $10.2{\mu}V_{rms}$. A high-resolution, low-power ADC with a high conversion speed achieves a signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) of 50.63 dB and a spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 63.88 dB, at a sampling-rate of 2.5 MS/s. The effectiveness of our neural recording system is validated in in-vivo recording of the primary somatosensory cortex of a rat.