• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.238-243
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• 2009

Background: Radiofrequency obliteration and endovenous laser therapy of the greater saphenous vein have recently been introduced as alternative, minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of saphenous vein incompetence. The 7 Fr. VNUS $ClosureFAST^{(R)}$ radiofrequency obliteration system was introduced in Gwang-Ju Veterans hospital. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and complications of radiofrequency obliteration using the 7 Fr. VNUS $ClosureFAST^{(R)}$ system. Material and Method: Between May 2, 2007 and May 31, 2008, we performed radiofrequency obliteration on 90 patients. The number of males was 67 and their mean age was $57.9{\pm}11.0$ (range: $23{\sim}78$) years old. The patients underwent follow up exams at 3 weeks after the procedures and then every 3 months. The effects of treatment and the complications were reviewed. Result: The postoperative complications were ecchymosis (94.4%), pain (27.8%), paresthesia (25.6%), bullous formation (8.9%), edema (6.7%) and phlebitis (2.2%). One patient showed good blood flow after 3 weeks and one patient showed good blood flow after 3 months. The one-year success rate of radiofrequency obliteration in varicose veins was 97.6%. Conclusion: Our data showed acceptable operative results and short-term clinical results for treating varicose veins with radio frequency obliteration. Long-term follow-up and comparison of radio frequency obliteration with high ligation and stripping, previous radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser therapy are needed in the future.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.6 s.181
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• pp.739-752
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• 2006

Deep-sea surface sediments acquired by multiple corer from 69 stations in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeast equatorial Pacific, were examined to understand the correlation of mass physical properties and sedimen-tological processes. The seabed of the middle part ($8-12^{\circ}N$) of the study area is mainly covered by biogenic siliceous sediment compared with pelagic red clays in the northern part ($16-17^{\circ}N$). In the southern part ($5-6^{\circ}N$), water depth is shallower than carbonate compensation depth (CCD). The mass physical properties such as grain size distribution, mean grain size, water content, specific grain density, wet bulk density, void ratio, and porosity of sediments are distinctly different among the three parts of the study area. Surface sediments in northern part are characterized by fine grain size and low water contents possibly due to low primary productivity and high detrital input. Conversely, sediments in the middle part are characterized by coarse grain size and high water contents, which might be caused by high surface productivity and deeper depth than CCD. The sediments show low water contents and high density in the southern part, which can be explained by shallower depth than CCD. Our results suggest that the variations in mass physical properties of sediments are influenced by combined effects including biogenic primary productivity of surface water, water depth, especially with respect to CCD, sedimentation rate, detrital input, and the geochemistry of the bottom water (for example, formation of authigenic clay minerals and dissolution of biogenic grains).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.268-277
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• 2016

This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of the ethanol extract from Chondrus ocellatus Holmes (COHEE) in RAW 264.7 cells and in a mouse ear edema model, by measuring the production of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response mediators. There were no cytotoxic effects on the proliferation of macrophages treated with COHEE compared with the control. COHEE inhibited the production of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β]. The extract also reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, nuclear factor-κB p65, and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase in a dose-dependent manner. In the croton-oil-induced ear edema model, COHEE decreased the formation of mouse ear edema at the highest dose compared with the control, and histological analysis revealed that the epidermal/dermal tissue thickness and mast cell numbers were reduced. Therefore, these results suggest that COHEE may be a promising topical anti-inflammatory therapeutic material through its action of modulating NF-κB and the MAPK signaling pathway.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.146-165
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• 1973

Crop damages caused by sulfur dioxide poisoning were studied with respect to physiology of lesion, yield loss and prevention measures. The results are summarized as follows; 1. On the physiology of injury: The sulfur dioxide gas did no: affect the pH and $E_h$ values of the tested leaf juice of plants. Peroxidase activity was inhibited just after sulfur dioxide treatment but gradually recovered to normal after 10 hours. Methanolic chlorophyll solution was instantaneously and irreversibly bleached by the addition of sulfur dioxide gas with no evidence of pheophytin formation. It seems that chlorophyll forms colourless addition product or is reduced to colourless form with either sulfur dioxide gas or sulfurous acid. Chlorophyll in the chloroplast was also bleached by the sulfur dioxide treatment, as in the case of methanolic solution of chlorophyll, except that the rate of bleaching was rather slow, requiring 1-2 hours. It appears that the most inflicting cause of sulfur dioxide gas to plants may be the destruction of chlorophyll by the poisoning gas. 2. On the effects to crop yield: The crop yield losses were proportional to the concentration of inflicting sulfur dioxide gas. The order of tolerence of the crops to the sulfur dioxide gas was as follows - chinese cabbage being the most susceptible; wheat, paddy rice, barley, soybean, welsh onion, radish and chinese cabbage. The crucifer crops were generally found more susceptible than other crops studied. With respect to the growing stages of crops exposed to sulfur dioxide gas, it was found that the flowering stage was the most susceptible fellowed by panicle forming, milky and tillering in the decreasing order of susceptibility. 3. On the preventive measures of yield losses: Soil applications of potassium, wollastonite, lime or spray of lime water were effective to prevent yield losses from sulfur dioxide fumigation of paddy rice, barley, and soybeans. The most responsive treatment was lime water spray for all crops tested. In case of sulfur dioxide fumigated paddy rice, the lime water spray also increased carbon assimilation.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2005

This study was conducted to examine the effects of demecolcine-assisted enucleation and recipient cell cycle stage on the development of bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) embryos. In vitro cultured oocytes for $16\~20$ h were classified by first polar body (1st PB) extrusion and cell cycle stage (MI and MII) and treated $0.4\;{\mu}L/mL$ demecolcine for 40 min before enucleation. Enucleated oocytes were fused electrically with bovine ear skin cells, activated by Ca-ionophore+DMAP, and cultured in vitro. Most of eggs ($86.2\%$) treated with demecolcine protruded a chromosome mass and enucleated efficiently ($98.8\%$, (P<0.05). Demecolcine did not have a deteriorative effect on the development of NT embryos. Developmental rate of NT embryos reconstituted with oocytes extruded 1st PB significantly higher than that of NT embryos produced by oocytes without 1st PB ($18.2\%\;vs.\;4.6\%\cdot$, P<0.05). Cleavage and blastocyst formation rate of embryos reconstituted with MI oocytes ($69.4\%\;and\;5.9\%$, respectively) were significantly lower than those of embryos reconstituted with MII oocytes ($96.7\%\;and\;23.9\%$, respectively, P<0.05). From the present result, it is suggested that domecolcine is useful for the enucleation of recipient oocytes in bovine NT procedures, and MII oocytes rather than MI oocytes are more appropriate for recipient cytoplasm. Although, the potential to develop into blastocysts of NT embryos produced by 1st PB-nonextruded and MI oocytes was very low, these oorytes could be used for NT.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 1993

Objective of this research was to assess the influence of reaction time on the heavy metal-organic ligand complexation by employing kinetic models. Aqueous solutions of humic (HA) or fulvic acid (FA) were reacted with metal solutions with 1:1 ratio to form complexes. Efficiency of organic ligand on metal removal was determined by separating the precipitates from solution using $0.45\;{\mu}m$ filter paper. Complexation between Cu or Pb and HA or FA followed the first- or multiple first order kinetics, largely depending on metal concentration and kind of organic ligand. Amounts of precipitates were increased proportionally with reaction time but reached to quasiequilibrium where rate of precipitate formation was not varied with time. Copper-ligand complexation was, irrespective of ligand, fitted to the single first order kinetics at Cu concentrations lower than $300{\mu}M$, but this was fitted to the multiple first order kinetics at Cu concentrations higher than $300{\mu}M$. As increasing Cu concentrations, the precipitates formed more readily, judging from the increased rate constants (${\kappa}$). In the multiple first order kinetics, ${\kappa}$ was decreased as reaction steps proceeded. Most of Cu-ligand precipitates were formed within 15 min. FA precipitated Cu more rapidly than HA did. ${\kappa}$ for Pb-HA complexation was decreased but that for Pb-FA reaction was increased, as increasing Pb concentration. Most of Pb-organic ligand complexation occurred within 30 min. Afterwards, ${\kappa}$ values were relatively small and not affected much by time. Pb was precipitated by humic acid more readily than Cu when metal concnetrations were $200{\sim}300{\mu}M$. However, when metal concentrations were in the ranges of $400{\sim}500{\mu}M$, a reversed tendency was observed.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.311-321
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• 1996

Both $M_1$ and $M_2$ muscarinic receptors contain a triplet of amino acid residues consisting of leucine (L), tyrosine (Y) and threonine (T) at C-terminus ends of the second putative transmembrane domains. This triplet is repeated as LYT-LYT in $M_2$ receptors at the interface between the second transmembrane domain and the first extracellular loop. Interestingly, however, it is repeated in a transposed fashion (LYT-TYL) in the sequence of $M_1$ receptors. In this work, we employed site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the possible significance of this unique sequence diversity for determining the distinct differential cellular function at the two receptor subtypes. Mutation of the LYTTYL sequence of $M_1$ receptors to the corresponding $M_2$ receptor LYTLYT sequence did not result in a significant change in the binding affinity of the agonist carbachol. The reverse mutation at the $M_2$ receptor also did not modify agonist affinity. Surprisingly, the LYTLYT $M_1$ receptor mutant demonstrated markedly enhanced coupling to activation of phospholipase C without a change in its coupling to increased cyclic AMP formation. There was also an enhanced receptor sensitivity in transducing elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$. On the other hand, the reverse $LYTLYT{\rightarrow}LYTTYL$ mutation in the $M_2$ receptor did not alter its coupling to inhibition of adenylate cyclase, but slightly enhanced its coupling to stimulation of phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis. Our data suggest that the LYTTYL/LYTLYT sequence differences between $M_1$ and $M_2$ muscarinic receptors are not important for specifying ligand binding and coupling of various subtypes of muscarinic receptors to different cellular signaling pathways although they might play a role in the modulation of muscarinic reseptor coupling to PI hydrolysis.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.264-270
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• 2008

Phytic acid(PA) (Inositol hexaphosphate, $IP_6$) is a naturally occurring polyphosphorylated carbohydrate that is present in substantial amounts in almost all plants and mammalian cells. Recently PA has received much attention for its role in anticancer activity. In the present study, the preventive effects of PA on colon carcinogenesis were investigated. Six-week old Fisher 344 male rats were fed a AIN-93G purified diet and PA(0.5% or 2% PA in water) for 8 weeks. The animals received two ($1^{st}\;and\;2^{nd}$ week) injections of azoxymethane(AOM, 15 mg/kg b.w.) to induce colonic aberrant crypt foci(ACF). After sacrifice, the total numbers of aberrant crypts(AC) and ACF in colonic mucosa were examined after staining with methylene blue. Blood and serum were analyzed with a blood cell differential counter and an automatic serum analyzer. AOM induced the total numbers of $142.3{\pm}22.3$ ACF/colon and $336.6{\pm}55.1$ AC/colon. PA at the doses of 0.5 and 2% decreased the numbers of ACF and AC/colon in a dose-dependent manner. The numbers of ACF/colon and AC/colon by PA at the dose of 0.5% were $124.4{\pm}28.5\;and\;302.7{\pm}67.3$, respectively. PA at the dose of 2% significantly decreased the ACF and AC numbers to $109{\pm}18.1\;and\;254.8{\pm}50.6$, respectively(p<0.01). Especially, 2% PA significantly reduced the number of large ACF(${\geq}4$ AC/ACF) from $26.8{\pm}6.2$ ACF/colon to $15{\pm}6.7$ ACF/colon(p<0.01). Although some parameters in blood counts and serum chemistry were changed compared with the control, no specific toxicity was found. These findings suggest that phytic acid can be a chemopreventive agent for colon carcinogenesis resulting from inhibition of the development of ACF in the F344 rat.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.288-301
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• 1992

The objective of the present study was to identify the characteristics of phospholipase C (PLC) isozymes purified from bovine brain and to investigate their interrelationship with G protein. The purified PLC isozymes ${\beta}$, ${\gamma}$ and ${\delta}$ were obtained and the characteristics of PLC activity on various concentrations of free $Ca^{2+}$ were observed. The activity of PLC was increased with increasing $Ca^{2+}$ concentration and the activity PLC ${\delta}$ was increased higher in the presence of phosphatidyl choline(PC) than in the abscence of PC. For vesicle formation as the structure of cell membrane, cholic acid and deoxycholic acid as detergent on phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate($PIP_2$) substrate containing PC were used, and then the activity of PLC isozymes were increased with increasing concentration of cholate, from 0.2% to 1% and were increased slightly in deoxycholate. In the $PIP_2$ containing phospholipid and glycolipid as brain extract, the activity of PLC isozymes were checked in 0.2%-1% cholic acid. The activities of PLC isoyzmes were continuously increased up to 1% cholic acid. The quantitation of PLC isozymes from several bovine organs by radioimmunoassay was made. Brain was the most sufficient organ in terms of amount of PLC ${\beta}$and ${\delta}$. A large amount of PLC ${\delta}$ was existed in adrenal gland. The binding capacity of GTPrS and G protein was observed and other observations of the binding effect of GTPrS-G protein and PLC monoclonal Ab-Protein A from tissue homogenate with PLC were made. From the observation the binding capacity was revealed the range of 0.11%-1.49%. The effects of each type of G protein on the percent activity of purified PLC isozymes were observed. From the observation, activities of isozymes were increased in $Go{\alpha}$ & Gmix, and the activities of PLC ${\beta}$ and ${\delta}$ were increased in $G{\beta}{\gamma}$ and $Gi{\alpha}$. Activities of PLC ${\beta}$ and ${\gamma}$ were decreased in $Gt{\alpha}$ but PLC ${\delta}$ increased.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2007

The ultimate objective of this study is to develop oxygen-enriched combustion techniques applicable to the system of practical industrial boiler. To this end the combustion characteristics of lab-scale LNG combustor were investigated as a first step using the method of numerical simulation by analyzing the flame characteristics and pollutant emission behaviour as a function of oxygen enrichment level. Several useful conclusions could be drawn based on this study. First of all, the increase of oxygen enrichment level instead of air caused long and thin flame called laminar flame feature. This was in good agreement with experimental results appeared in open literature and explained by the effect of the decrease of turbulent mixing due to the decrease of absolute amount of oxidizer flow rate by the absence of the nitrogen species. Further, as expected, oxygen enrichment increased the flame temperatures to a significant level together with concentrations of $CO_2$ and $H_2O$ species because of the elimination of the heat sink and dilution effects by the presence of $N_2$ inert gas. However, the increased flame temperature with $O_2$ enriched air showed the high possibility of the generation of thermal $NO_x$ if nitrogen species were present. In order to remedy the problem caused by the oxygen-enriched combustion, the appropriate amount of recirculation $CO_2$ gas was desirable to enhance the turbulent mixing and thereby flame stability and further optimum determination of operational conditions were necessary. For example, the adjustment of burner with swirl angle of $30\sim45^{\circ}$ increased the combustion efficiency of LNG fuel and simultaneously dropped the $NO_x$ formation.