• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2009

Objective: Much has been known that the systematical theory of acupuncture was developed from stone needle as therapeutic tools for orthopedic diseases in ancient times. Stone needle is very old therapeutic method like moxibustion and has been recognized that it was developed since the Stone Age in China so far. In the present study, it was examined for the origination and formation of stone needle based on stone relics of the Stone Age in Korean Peninsular, the medical and geographical literatures. Materials and methods: The facts of stone needle was examined and arranged on the ancient medical or geographical literatures such as The Yellow Emperor's Canon Internal Medicine, Shanhaijing as an ancient geographical book, etc. The clan societies and family related to an origination of stone needle was chased together with their cultural characteristics and origination. The stone relics which have been digged out of historic sites in the North-East Asia were examined for a relevance to stone needle. Results: In The Yellow Emperor's Canon Internal Medicine, it was referred to the stone needle that originated from a fishery zone related to the east coast district in North-East Asia. Through the examination of Shan Hai Jing as an ancient geographical book and its historical reviews, a Go-yi clan society who keep Go's family tree dealt well with the stone needle and jewels including jade in the North-East Asia before the publication periods of The Yellow Emperor's Canon Internal Medicine, and is comprised in the culture of Dong-yi clan society but not the Chinese culture. The obsidian stones, which have been digged out of historical sites in the North-East Asia since the Stone Age, are originated from volcanic areas combined with seashore that seems to be Baekdu mountain district in Korea and Kyushu district in Japan. Furthermore, obsidian stone tools which were found out at Laodung peninsula and the Korean peninsula are archeologically similar to the stone needle with regards to the shape, size and dual-use. In addition, specific obsidian stone tools have been used in orthopedic surgery as well-crafted obsidian blades have a cutting edge up to five times sharper than high-quality steel surgical scalpels. Conclusion: The origin of obsidian stone needle is well corresponded to the explanation about that of the stone needle. It is suggested that the stone needle which influenced in completion of acupuncture and Meridian theory in China seems to be an obsidian stone, and distribution of obsidian stone needle has been closely connected to Dong-yi clan society which are lived in the North-East Asia including Baekdu-mountain district.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.301-312
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• 2006

Experimental research revealed that the spatial dispersion of aggregate grains exerts pronounced influences on the mechanical and durability properties of concrete. Therefore, insight into this phenomenon is of paramount importance. Experimental approaches do not provide direct access to three-dimensional spacing information in concrete, however. Contrarily, simulation approaches are mostly deficient in generating packing systems of aggregate grains with sufficient density. This paper therefore employs a dynamic simulation system (with the acronym SPACE), allowing the generation of dense random packing of grains, representative for concrete aggregates. This paper studies by means of SPACE packing structures of aggregates with a Fuller type of size distribution, generally accepted as a suitable approximation for actual aggregate systems. Mean free spacing $\bar{\lambda}$, mean nearest neighbour distance (NND) between grain centres $\bar{\Delta}_3$, and the probability density function of ${\Delta}_3$ are used to characterize the spatial dispersion of aggregate grains in model concretes. Influences on these spacing parameters are studied of volume fraction and the size range of aggregate grains. The values of these descriptors are estimated by means of stereological tools, whereupon the calculation results are compared with measurements. The simulation results indicate that the size range of aggregate grains has a more pronounced influence on the spacing parameters than exerted by the volume fraction of aggregate. At relatively high volume density of aggregates, as met in the present cases, theoretical and experimental values are found quite similar. The mean free spacing is known to be independent of the actual dispersion characteristics (Underwood 1968); it is a structural parameter governed by material composition. Moreover, scatter of the mean free spacing among the serial sections of the model concrete in the simulation study is relatively small, demonstrating the sample size to be representative for composition homogeneity of aggregate grains. The distribution of ${\Delta}_3$ observed in this study is markedly skew, indicating a concentration of relatively small values of ${\Delta}_3$. The estimate of the size of the representative volume element (RVE) for configuration homogeneity based on NND exceeds by one order of magnitude the estimate for structure-insensitive properties. This is in accordance with predictions of Brown (1965) for composition and configuration homogeneity (corresponding to structure-insensitive and structure-sensitive properties) of conglomerates.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.339-346
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• 2017

Background: In this study, we investigated how to convert the Panax ginseng DNA sequence code and chemical fingerprints into a two-dimensional code. In order to improve the compression efficiency, GATC2Bytes and digital merger compression algorithms are proposed. Methods: HPLC chemical fingerprint data of 10 groups of P. ginseng from Northeast China and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequence code as the DNA sequence code were ready for conversion. In order to convert such data into a two-dimensional code, the following six steps were performed: First, the chemical fingerprint characteristic data sets were obtained through the inflection filtering algorithm. Second, precompression processing of such data sets is undertaken. Third, precompression processing was undertaken with the P. ginseng DNA (ITS2) sequence codes. Fourth, the precompressed chemical fingerprint data and the DNA (ITS2) sequence code were combined in accordance with the set data format. Such combined data can be compressed by Zlib, an open source data compression algorithm. Finally, the compressed data generated a two-dimensional code called a quick response code (QR code). Results: Through the abovementioned converting process, it can be found that the number of bytes needed for storing P. ginseng chemical fingerprints and its DNA (ITS2) sequence code can be greatly reduced. After GTCA2Bytes algorithm processing, the ITS2 compression rate reaches 75% and the chemical fingerprint compression rate exceeds 99.65% via filtration and digital merger compression algorithm processing. Therefore, the overall compression ratio even exceeds 99.36%. The capacity of the formed QR code is around 0.5k, which can easily and successfully be read and identified by any smartphone. Conclusion: P. ginseng chemical fingerprints and its DNA (ITS2) sequence code can form a QR code after data processing, and therefore the QR code can be a perfect carrier of the authenticity and quality of P. ginseng information. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of a quality traceability system of traditional Chinese medicine based on a two-dimensional code.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.15-28
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• 1998

One's constitution is formed congenitally and is also acquired, and is relatively stable in its individually manifested function, structure and temperament. It has characteristics of universality, complexity, generality and continuity. It is also manifested in physiological responses and expresses pathologic tendencies including susceptibility. Attempts at understanding constitution has had a long history throughout the world. In Oriental Medicine, the constitution had been acknowledged from the "Huangdi Neijing", which has been a bible in Oriental Medicine for about two thousand years. In many aspects, the "Huangdi Neijing" provides the basis for both basic and practical fields. In order to derive the ideal structure from the "Huangdi Neijing" to Lee Je-ma's(Lee Jayma's) Sasang Constitutional ideas, which can strengthen the understanding of ideal core of Oriental Medicine's constitutional characteristics, the author launched his analysis of the constitutional understandings in the "Huangdi Neijing" as a first step and came to the following: 1. The constitutional understanding in the "Huangdi Neijing" was done both via the physiological responses to heat, pain and acupuncture treatment and the pathologic tendencies via body structure, strength, body heat, courage and obesity. 2. It was recognized that the constitution was formed congenitally and also acquired factors like living conditions including food customs, residents and geographical conditions were explained in detailed. 3. The constitutional typology was suggested both by the general and systematic criterion according to the Yin-yang and the Five phase theories and by single criterion such as obesity, courage and the response to acupuncture treatment. 4. As diagnosis is related to the constitution, courage was adopted for the disease caused by emotions, obesity was for its manifestations of qi and blood, the quantities of qi-blood and Yin-yang in the typology by the Yin-yang and Five phase theories were suggested. 5. In the case of obesity, Yin-yang and Five phase theory, treatment according to the constitutional ideas was mentioned, and their goals were concluded as "being the balancing between Yin and Yang" which means the Yin-yang theory is more practical than the Five phase theory in Oriental Constitutional Medical field. According to the above understandings, the author would like to suggest that the constitutional ideas in the "Huangdi Neijing" based on the Yin-yang theory blossomed via the practical spirit of Zhang Zhong-jing's "Shanghanlun" and at last from Lee Je-ma's(Lee Jayma's) Sasang Constitutional Medicine which realized "the balancing between Yin and yang" through the practical applications of herbal treatments.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.334-343
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• 2019

A lab-scale vertical flow subsurface (VFS) wetland composed of three parallel columns with polypropylene synthetic fiber as main substrate was operated. Piggery stormwater diluted from swine excreta was fed to the wetland on the basis of three different hydraulic regimes or hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2, 4, and 8 days with daily internal recirculation. Then, monitoring of common water quality parameters was carried out. Unexpectedly, an increase of effluent COD concentration accompanying the appearance of foams was observed during a distinct period in the wetland with HRT 2, 4, and 8 days, successively. Subsequently, a series of experiments was conducted to investigate the origin of the foams. Foams and the increase of COD concentration were found to be induced by the release of organic matter from the synthetic polypropylene fiber which was fed with piggery stormwater. Meanwhile, nitrogen removal was found to be enhanced during a period which overlapped the distinct foaming period signifying that foaming played two important functions in biological nitrogen removal. Foams which form rapidly and then burst easily could hold up and then release oxygen for nitrification. Foams which contain organic surfactants could serve as carbon sources for denitrification as well. Hence, nitrogen removal was enhanced during the foaming stage. After that, COD concentration decreased slowly to a level prior to the foaming stage, and nitrogen removal efficiency declined as well.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.952-958
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• 2014

The present study investigated the anti-obesity effects of Sparassis crispa (SC) on mice fed a high-fat (HF, 45 kcal% fat) diet. Mice were fed either a normal control diet and an HF diet or an HF diet supplemented with SC (1%, 3%, and 5%) for 12 weeks. The consumption of an HF diet compared to the NC group resulted in increases in body weight, the food efficiency ratio (FER), retroperitoneal and subcutaneous fat weights, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, fecal fat, and liver lipids. However, the administration of SC significantly decreased body weight gain, food intake, FER, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and liver lipids in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, treatment with 5% SC significantly reduced the occurrence of fatty liver deposits and steatosis, which are associated with the increased adipocyte size in mice fed an HF diet. Therefore, these results suggested that dietary supplementation with SC exerts anti-obesity effects and could be used as a functional food to control obesity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.886-894
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• 2015

Macrophages are divided into two subpopulations: classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2). BCG (Bacilli Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$) activates disabled $na{\ddot{i}}ve$ macrophages to M1 macrophages, which act as inflammatory, microbicidal and tumoricidal cells through cell-cell contact and/or the release of soluble factors. Various transcription factors and signaling pathways are involved in the regulation of macrophage activation and polarization. We discovered that BCG-activated macrophages (BAM) expressed a new molecule, and we named it Novel Macrophage Activated Associated Protein 1 (NMAAP1). 1 The current study found that the overexpression of NMAAP1 in macrophages results in M1 polarization with increased expression levels of M1 genes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 12 (IL-12), Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), and decreased expression of some M2 genes, such as Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), but not other M2 genes, including arginase-1 (Arg-1), Interleukin (IL-10), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-${\beta}$) and found in inflammatory zone 1 (Fizz1). Moreover, NMAAP1 overexpression in the RAW264.7 cell line increased cytotoxicity against MCA207 tumor cells, which depends on increased inflammatory cytokines rather than cell-cell contact. NMAAP1 also substantially enhanced the phagocytic ability of macrophages, which implies that NMAAP1 promoted macrophage adhesive and clearance activities. Our results indicate that NMAAP1 is an essential molecule that modulates macrophages phenotype and plays an important role in macrophage tumoricidal functions.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.386-393
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• 2010

In order to study disease resistance mechanisms in rice against the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea, we screened fungal elicitor-responsive genes from rice suspension-cultured cells treated with fungal elicitors employing differential hybridization (DH). By DH screening, 31 distinct rice clones were isolated and a majority of them were full-length cDNAs encoding pathogenesisrelated (PR) genes. Sixteen of the 31 genes were upregulated at 4, 8, and 12 h following fungal elicitor treatment. To elucidate the effect of signal molecules and biotic elicitors on the regulation of rice defense genes, we further characterized the transcriptional expression patterns of representative isolated PR genes; OsGlu1, OsGlu2, OsTLP, OsRLK, and OsPR-10, following treatment with fungal elicitor, phytohormones, cycloheximide, and inhibitors of protein phosphorylation. Jasmonic acid (JA) induced transcriptional expression of OsGlu1, OsTLP, and OsRLK, but not of OsGlu2 and OsPR-10 at any of the tested time points. Salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid weakly induced the expression of OsTLP and OsRLK. SA showed an antagonistic effect with fungal elicitor and JA. Cycloheximide suppressed all these genes upon elicitor treatment, except for OsGlu2. Staurosporine only induced the expression of OsRLK. Application of calyculin A strongly induced OsRLK expression, but suppressed the expression of OsGlu2. Our study yielded a number of PR genes that play a role in defense mechanisms against the rice blast fungus, as well as contribute towards the elucidation of crosstalk between phytohormones and other modifications during defense signaling.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.214-217
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• 2007

A about 2-month- old, mixed female cat was referred to Yeon Chang Veterinaly Clinic in Taiwan. Because this patient was wandering cat, precise history was not blown. At first admission, miosis, ptosis and protrusion of the nictitating membrane was observed in the right sided eye, and also slight miosis was found in the left sided eye. The patient was diagnosed into feline HS. Oculo-AP and injection-AP with dexamethasone were applied to this patient. Oculo-AP at Shang Jiao regions of both eyes was done for 10 minutes. In addition, injection-AP with dexamethasone (0.2 ml/acupoint) at BL01-Jing Ming, BL02-Zan Zhu and ST01-Cheng Qi. After AP treatment, prolapse of the nictitating membrane was amazingly disappeared and pupil was dilatated at session 1. Ocular findings at session 2 (one day after session 1) were maintained with nearly normal state. Accordingly, the present patient was a case with feline HS that showed favorable therapeutic effect by AP treatment.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.119-133
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• 2009

Objectives : The object of this study is to report on the theory of Ohaeng-Hwa Acupuncture Therapy. Methods : The theory of Ohaeng-Hwa Acupuncture Therapy(OHAT; 五行和針法) is a part of the Five Elements Theory unique to Korea. This research Classic of Difficulty Issues-Nan Jing review Ohaeng-Hwa Acupuncture Therapy. Results : OHAT, created and developed by Jae-hoon Song, integrates the victor-vanquished as well as the son-mother relationship of the Five Elements of breakdown and restoration of balance between yin and yang. And also, it provides resources and data on The seventy fifth Nan(75難), The sixty ninth Nan(69難) of Classic of Difficulty Issues - Nan Jin 75, 69. OHAT establishes objectiveness and accuracy of diagnosis based upon the traditional method and procedure of pulse taking. In OHAT, a person's state of illness is diagnosed by applying the comparative examination of the palpitation of the pulse. It is the fact that the pulse varies according to the state, and that OHAT treatment has proven the positive results by using the victor-vanquished relationship on The Nan Jin 75. On the basis of this, it is necessary to add the sixty ninth Nan(69難), to research the theory of the generation of the Five Element. Conclusions : Ohaeng-Hwa Acupuncture is very effective in treating the wide range of illness, and thus it has gained an increasing attention of many scholars and practitioners in the field of traditional Korean oriental medicine. However, it is the first theoretical attempt to the clinical research and scientific methodology of Ohaeng(Five) Ohaeng-Hwa Acupuncture, and more active Ohaeng-Hwa Acupuncture R&D is being conducted nationwide.