• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.439-445
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• 2015

A survey of intestinal helminths was undertaken in riparian people in Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR. Fecal specimens were collected from 643 people (289 males and 354 females) residing in 4 districts (Nonghet, Kham, Phoukout, and Pek) and were examined by the Kato-Katz technique. The overall helminth egg positive rate was 41.2%, and hookworms revealed the highest prevalence (32.7%) followed by Trichuris trichiura (7.3%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (5.6%). The positive rate for small trematode eggs (STE), which may include Opisthorchis viverrini, heterophyids, and lecithodendriids, was 4.4%. For recovery of adult helminths, 12 STE or nematode/cestode egg-positive people were treated with 40 mg/kg praziquantel and 15 mg/kg pyrantel pamoate, and then purged. Mixed infections with 2 Haplorchis species (H. pumilio and H. taichui), Centrocestus formosanus, Opisthorchis viverrini, a species of cestode (Taenia saginata), and several species of nematodes including hookworms and Enterobius vermicularis were detected. The worm load for trematodes was the highest for H. pumilio with an average of 283.5 specimens per infected person followed by C. formosanus, H. taichui, and O. viverrini. The worm load for nematodes was the highest for hookworms (21.5/infected case) followed by E. vermicularis (3.2/infected case). The results revealed that the surveyed areas of Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR are endemic areas of various species of intestinal helminths. The STE found in the surveyed population were verified to be those of heterophyids, particularly H. pumilio.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Plasmodium vivax reemerged in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in 1993, and is likely to continue to affect public health. The purpose of this study was to measure levels of anti-P. vivax antibodies using indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) in border areas of ROK, to determine the seroprevalence of malaria (2003-2005) and to plan effective control strategies. Blood samples of the inhabitants in Gimpo-si, Paju-si, and Yeoncheon-gun (Gyeonggi-do), and Cheorwon-gun (Gangwon-do) were collected and kept in Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Out of a total of 1,774 serum samples tested, the overall seropositivity was 0.94% (n=17). The seropositivity was the highest in Paju-si (1.9%, 7/372), followed by Gimpo-si (1.4%, 6/425), Yeoncheon-gun (0.67%, 3/451), and Cheorwon-gun (0.19%, 1/526). The annual parasite incidence (API) in these areas gradually decreased from 2003 to 2005 (1.69, 1.09, and 0.80 in 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively). The highest API was found in Yeoncheon-gun, followed by Cheorwon-gun, Paju-si, and Gimpo-si. The API ranking in these areas did not change over the 3 years. The seropositivity of Gimpo-si showed a strong linear relationship with the API of 2005 (r=0.9983, P=0.036). Seropositivity data obtained using IFAT may be useful for understanding malaria prevalence of relevant years, predicting future transmission of malaria, and for establishing and evaluating malaria control programs in affected areas.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.305-311
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• 2013

In this study, we found that Haplorchis taichui, a heterophyid intestinal fluke, is highly prevalent, with heavy worm loads, among riparian people in Saravane and Champasak province, Lao PDR. Fecal specimens were collected from 1,460 people (717 men and 743 women) in 12 riparian (Mekong river) districts and were examined by the Kato-Katz fecal smear technique. The overall helminth egg positive rate was 78.8% and 66.4% in Saravane and Champasak province, respectively. The positive rate for small trematode eggs (STE), which included H. taichui and other heterophyids, Opisthorchis viverrini, and lecithodendriids, was 69.9% and 46.3% in Saravane and Champasak province, respectively. To obtain adult flukes, 30 STE-positive people were treated with 40 mg/kg praziquantel and then purged. Whole diarrheic stools were collected 4-5 times for each person and searched for fluke specimens using a stereomicroscope. Mixed infections with various species of trematodes (H. taichui, Haplorchis pumilio, O. viverrini, Prosthodendrium molenkampi, Centrocestus formosanus, and Echinochasmus japonicus) and a species of cestode (Taenia saginata) were found. However, the worm load was exceptionally high for H. taichui compared with other trematode species, with an average of 21,565 and 12,079 specimens per infected person in Saravane and Champasak province, respectively, followed by H. pumilio (41.9 and 22.5, respectively) and O. viverrini (9.4 and 1.5, respectively). These results show that diverse species of intestinal and liver flukes are prevalent among riparian people in Saravane and Champasak province, Lao PDR, with H. taichui being the exceptionally dominant species.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2017

Objectives: Q fever is a zoonotic disease that occurs worldwide; however, little is known about its prevalence in South Korea. We attempted to determine the prevalence of Q fever seroreactivity among Korean slaughterhouse workers and the risk factors for seroreactivity according to the type of work. Methods: The study was conducted among 1503 workers at a total of 73 slaughterhouses and 62 residual-product disposal plants. During the study period, sites were visited and surveys were administered to employees involved in slaughterhouse work, and serological tests were performed on blood samples by indirect immunofluorescence assays. Serological samples were grouped by job classification into those of slaughter workers, residual-product handlers, inspectors and inspection assistants, and grading testers and testing assistants. Employee risk factors were analyzed according to the type of work. Results: Out of 1481 study subjects who provided a blood sample, 151 (10.2%) showed reactive antibodies. When these results were analyzed in accordance with the type of work, the result of slaughter workers (11.3%) was similar to the result of residual-product handlers (11.4%), and the result of inspectors and assistants (5.3%) was similar to the result of grading testers and assistants (5.4%). Among those who answered in the affirmative to the survey question, "Has there been frequent contact between cattle blood and your mouth while working?" the proportions were 13.4 and 4.6%, respectively, and this was identified as a risk factor that significantly varied between job categories among slaughterhouse workers. Conclusions: This study found a Q fever seroreactivity rate of 10.2% for slaughterhouse workers, who are known to be a high-risk population. Contact with cattle blood around the mouth while working was the differential risk factor between job categories among slaughterhouse workers.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2010

Sparassis crispa(Cauliflower mushroom) was an edible mushroom that shows remarkably high contents of 1.3-${\beta}$-Dglucan compared to other edible mushroom. The mushroom was known to give high antitumor and immunology activated, and then this mushroom was recently cultivated in Japan and Korea. However, cultivation methods ware becoming kept in secret or patents by some companies with complicated procedures. And it was not established cultivation methods of Sparassis crispa up to now. This study was conducted to solve the problem by short-log cultivation method of Sparassis crispa. Some factors effecting on the mycelial growth and primordial formation of Sparassis crispa were investigated. We could produce the mushroom using short-woods of Larix leptolepis, Pinus densiflora, Pinus rigida and Quercus acutissima. We get to high yield fruit-body on short-log cultivaiton of Pinus rigida. And soaking for 8hours in water solution containing 5% uncooked yeast with short-wood of Pinus rigida. The optimal moisture content and temperature were 90~95% and $23{\sim}25^{\circ}C$, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.113-120
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• 2015

Osteoporosis is a major bone disorder defined as having bone mineral density (BMD) of 2.5 standard deviations or more below the peak bone mass. Osteoporosis will increasingly be a major disorder that faces the aging mankind. It is the result of an imbalance in the bone remodeling system, where bone constantly undergoes a cycle of resorption by osteoclasts and formation by osteoblasts. Estrogen deficiency in women following menopause is identified as the predominant reason that causes disparity in this system. Current medical treatments for osteoporosis include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), biphosphonates, and teriparatide, but have various side effects that raise questions concerning their medical safety and practicality. Alternative treatments involving natural product sources are under study to find a safer therapy. Many natural sources including lactoferrin and isoflavones and numerous traditional herbal medicines exhibit anti-resorptive or anabolic effects on bone and thus show promises to provide therapeutic agents in treating osteoporosis. Unfortunately, the majority of natural product treatments are still in its preliminary stages to prove their efficacy even though the development pace of treatment for osteoporosis is astounding in the past few decades. Further progress in pre-clinical studies and the subsequent clinical studies will someday lead to a breakthrough that takes us another step forward in science.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1651-1656
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• 2008

Redox factor-1 (Ref-1) is essential for repair of oxidatively damaged DNA and also govern the reductive activation of many transcription factors. In this study, we examined the effect of overexpressed Ref-1 on AKT activation for nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse aortic endothelial (MAE) cells. Adenoviral-mediated overexpression of Ref-1 enhanced NO production in unstimulated- as well as bradykinin-stimulated MAE cells. Importantly, forced overexpression of Ref-1 induced direct phosphorylation of AKT in cells. And, a PI3K inhibitor wortmannin completely abolished the increase in AKT phosphorylation by stimulation of bradykinin and/or overexpressed Ref-1. In addition, inhibition of AKT activity with HA-tagged activation-deficient AKT suppressed Ref-1-induced endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation and resulted in a corresponding inhibition of unstimulated- and bradykinin-stimulated NO production. These results suggest that Ref-1 stimulates direct phosphorylation of AKT for eNOS enzyme activity in murine endothelial cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2004

To investigate the effect of the cell wall on the pigmentation and branching in Aspergillus nidulans, ultrastructure of cell wall in suppressor mutant of the null pigmentation (SU-NPG, SU602) has been examined. Scanning electron microgrphs (SEM) revealed that the most outer layer of conidia wall peeled off in SU-NPG on day 6 from the complete conidiation. They also showed that hyphal growth and branching were not well developed in SU-NPG. Transmission electron micrographs (TEM) showed that the plasma membrane was not crenulated and the hyphal wall was thick in SU-NPG. These results indicated that the ultrastructure of cell wall in SU-NPC might be modified. Cytochemical analysis showed that the cell wall in SU-NPG was differentiated into Cl, C3, C2 and C4 layer in conidia and H1, H3, H2 and H4 layer in hyphae. C3 layer and H3 layer existed in SU-NPG. The increment of the diameter in SU-NPG hyphae might be caused by the thickness of H3 layer. These results suggest that SU-NPG may have an immature but the differentiated structure for the pigmentation in cell wall.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.633-639
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• 2005

The composition of Hwoangbaec-tang has been traditionally used in Korea to treat cancer. Hwoangbaec-tang I is the water extracts prepared from Angelica dahurica, Fritillariae verticillata, Ailanthus altissima, Viscum coloratun, Scutellaria Radix, Ginseng Radix, Astragalus membranaceus, and Glycyrrhizae Radix. Hwoangbaec-tang II also is the water extracts prepared from Ginseng Radix, Astragalus membranaceus, and Glycyrrhizae Radix. The anti-leukemic effects of human promyelocytic leukaemia (HL-60 cells) by Hwoangbaec-tang I or II was accessed by propidium iodide staining flow cytometric analysis, and apoptosis-inducing activity was further confirmed by a nuclear morphological change, a ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation, and an activation of caspase-3 and 9. Hwoangbaec-tang I was found to induce the apoptosis of HL-60 cells via caspase-3 and 9 pathway. In the other side, Hwoangbaec-tang II was found to inhibit the growth of HL-60 cells by inducing these cells to differentiate toward granulocytes. These results indicate that the different anti-leukemic effects of Hwoangbaec-tang in HL-60 cells can be induce the apoptosis or differnetiation of HL-60 cells in Hwoangbaec-tang composition dependent manner.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.290-295
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• 2010

Gamigunggui-tang (GMGGT) is one of the important prescriptions that has been used in oriental medicine. We investigated the inhibitory effect of an oral administration of hot water extract of GMGGT on the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) by using Balb/c mice. The induction of atopic dermatitis-like lesion was conducted by the removal of the back hairs and topical application of 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) on to the back skin repeatedly. GMGGT was orally administered at a different dose (10.0 mg/kg, 50.0 mg/kg). Skin reactions, consisting of increased ear thickness and the presence of ear inflammation, were observed in mice over three weeks. Oral administration of GMGGT significantly suppressed the skin lesions, ear swelling, spleen weight, total serum IgE in a concentration dependent manner, and also inhibited the infiltration of mast cells in the dorsal skin. In the present study, these results suggested that GMGGT extract inhibits inflammatory response atopic dermatitis. Therefore, GMGGT may be effective substances for the management of AD in human.