• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.837-846
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• 2017

As a component of the neurovascular unit, cerebral smooth muscle cells (CSMCs) are an important mediator in the development of cerebral vascular diseases such as stroke. Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are the products of arachidonic acid catalyzed by cytochrome P450 epoxygenase. EETs are shown to exert neuroprotective effects. In this article, the role of EET in the growth and apoptosis of CSMCs and the underlying mechanisms under oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) conditions were addressed. The viability of CMSCs was decreased significantly in the OGD group, while different subtypes of EETs, especially 14,15-EET, could increase the viability of CSMCs under OGD conditions. RAPA (serine/threonine kinase Mammalian Target of Rapamycin), a specific mTOR inhibitor, could elevate the level of oxygen free radicals in CSMCs as well as the anti-apoptotic effects of 14,15-EET under OGD conditions. However, SP600125, a specific JNK (c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase) pathway inhibitor, could attenuate oxygen free radicals levels in CSMCs as well as the anti-apoptotic effects of 14,15-EET under OGD conditions. These results strongly suggest that EETs exert protective functions during the growth and apoptosis of CSMCs, via the JNK/c-Jun and mTOR signaling pathways in vitro. We are the first to disclose the beneficial roles and underlying mechanism of 14,15-EET in CSMC under OGD conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.33-40
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• 2015

This study is aimed at exploring the direction and characteristics of Japanese medical facility improvement in each area, a move to strengthen local medical services. Also, this study is intended to establish implications for Korea, which has similar social conditions as Japan's. Based on the findings, Japanese medical facility improvement has the following characteristics. First, as for medical service supply system, the linkage between facilities was being strengthened. The purpose is to share the functions and roles of limited medical facilities. It allows patients to receive complete medical services in one area. Second, local public health facilities were consolidated to boost their management efficiency and to improvement their original functions. Third, local medical facility roles were divided into different levels. The purpose is to treat patients more efficiently depending on their diseases. In other words, the cooperative medical system was strengthened by dividing the roles of medical facilities. It is aimed at treating each patient more systematically depending on their conditions in line with the treatment stage. The findings suggest the following for Korea. In order to supply and maintain stable medical services regionally in line with social changes, functional issues of medical facilities should be tackled consistently and systematically.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.370-375
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• 2023

The responsibility to ensure the health rights of detainees, particularly their medical rights, fundamentally lies with the state in all nations. However, in the correctional facilities of the Republic of Korea, these rights are currently not adequately safeguarded. Numerous detainees express dissatisfaction with the medical services provided and show a preference for voluntary external treatment. However, barriers such as prolonged application processes for external treatment and the requirement for detainees to cover their medical expenses present significant challenges. Therefore, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea has advocated for an increased medical budget in correctional facilities and a bolstered professional medical workforce to improve the medical care of detainees. Recommendations for improvements include: (1) establishing dedicated correctional hospitals for detainees, (2) setting up specialized correctional wards, (3) collaborating with military hospitals, (4) launching mobile medical buses for diverse specialties, (5) enhancing collaboration with public and private medical institutions, (6) increasing compensation for partnering external medical institutions, (7) improving the working conditions of medical officers, (8) safeguarding the defense rights of medical staff, (9) improving the working conditions of public health doctors from the Ministry of Justice in correctional facilities, and (10) pre-assigning public health specialists and military doctors to correctional facilities. By implementing these measures, it is anticipated that the quality of medical services in the Republic of Korea's correctional facilities will improve, reducing the demand for external treatments among detainees and ensuring their health and medical rights are realistically upheld.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.93-108
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that affected to physical functions, activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). The subjects for this study, 236 persons, 65 years and over, who were living at rural area in Chun-Cheon city. This survey was carried out from march 3rd to April 25th, 1998. The data was analysed by using SPSS PC+ program. The results were as follows. 1.The variables that were related to the conditions of physical functions were as follows; age, sex, educational level among the general characteristics; raising ways of money, monthly using money for life, states of pocket money, obtaining method of pocket money, state of weight, problems in mind, whether or not chronic illness among socio ㆍeconoㆍphysical conditions; the level of satisfactions in life, subjective condition of health among the subjective thinking ; controlling state in smoking and drinking of alcohol among the lifestyles for promoting health. But the variables for medical utilization were not related to the level of physical function. 2. The variables that were associated with the condition of ADLs were as follows; age among the general characteristics; monthly using money for life, working amount among the socioㆍeconoㆍphysical conditions; subjective conditions of health among the subjective thinking. But The variables for medical utilization, lifestyle for promoting health were irrelevant to the conditions of ADLs. 3. The variables that were related to the conditions of IADLs were as follows; age, educational level among the general characteristics; raising ways of money, monthly using money for life, resident type in the household, procurement method of pocket money, level of weight, problems in mind, wether or not chronic illness among socioㆍeconoㆍphysical condition; regularity of health checking among lifestyles for promoting health; kinds of utilizing medical agent among the variables about utilization patterns of medical agencies; subjective condition of health among the subjective thinking In this study, in the aged there were related factors of physical and life functions, were age, working amount, subjective condition of health.

• Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.267-274
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• 2018

Objectives. Two main digital signal processing technologies inside the modern hearing aid to provide the best conditions for hearing aid users are directionality (DIR) and digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithms. There are various possible settings for these algorithms. The present study evaluates the effects of various DIR and DNR conditions (both separately and in combination) on listening comfort among hearing aid users. Methods. In 18 participants who received hearing aid fitting services from the Rehabilitation School of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences regularly, we applied acceptable noise level (ANL) as our subjective measure of listening comfort. We evaluated both of these under six different hearing aid conditions: omnidirectional-baseline, omnidirectional-broadband DNR, omnidirectional-multichannel DNR, directional, directional-broadband DNR, and directional-multichannel DNR. Results. The ANL results ranged from -3 dB to 14 dB in all conditions. The results show, among all conditions, both the omnidirectional-baseline condition and the omnidirectional-broadband DNR condition are the worst conditions for listening in noise. The DIR always reduces the amount of noise that patients received during testing. The DNR algorithm does not improve listening in noise significantly when compared with the DIR algorithms. Although both DNR and DIR algorithms yielded a lower ANL, the DIR algorithm was more effective than the DNR. Conclusion. The DIR and DNR technologies provide listening comfort in the presence of noise. Thus, user benefit depends on how the digital signal processing settings inside the hearing aid are adjusted.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.64-67
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• 2000

It is usual that the medical examination of human body need special knowledpe and equipments. Thus we have to spend Lime and energy on going to special place such as hospital where doctors and equipments are. Which often cause missing a good chance af medical treatment as well as giving us inconvenience. However many simple and convenient equipments were developed for checking our health conditions recently. O-ring test is accepted a3 one of useful methods to examine our heallb conditions. Also the test is recognized as a uscful means to judge, withoul any special equipment and medical knowledge, if some medical substances or foods are beneficial or harmful to our health. However, the judgement may be mcorrect because it depend on doctor's subjective point of view.In this study, we developed an automatic O-ring t a r mach~ne which enable us to check our health conditions objectively and quantitatively. The validity of the idea to develope the machine was proved by experiments.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.537-542
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• 2020

Cockroaches inhabit various habitats, which will influence their microbiome. Although the microbiome can be influenced by the diet and environmental factors, it can also differ between species. Therefore, we conducted 16S rDNA-targeted high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the overall bacterial composition of the microbiomes of 3 cockroach species, Periplaneta americana, P. japonica, and P. fuliginosa, raised in laboratory for several generations under the same conditions. The experiments were conducted using male adult cockroaches. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was not significantly different among the 3 species. With regard to the Shannon and Pielou indexes, higher microbiome values were noted in P. americana than in P. japonica and P. fuliginosa. Microbiome composition was also evaluated, with endosymbionts accounting for over half of all OTUs in P. japonica and P. fuliginosa. Beta diversity analysis further showed that P. japonica and P. fuliginosa had similar microbiome composition, which differed from that of P. americana. However, we also identified that P. japonica and P. fuliginosa host distinct OTUs. Thus, although microbiome compositions may vary based on multiple conditions, it is possible to identify distinct microbiome compositions among different Periplaneta cockroach species, even when the individuals are reared under the same conditions.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.99-108
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• 2010

The goal of This study is to predict medical fee by accidents at home and the factors of accidents, and also to suggest the conditions of housing adaptations for elderly people. As the result of in-house accidents, on average 2.97 million Korean won was to be spent for medical care. Furthermore, 2808 billion Korean Won, which was predicted by multiplying the number of older people with the reported accident rates of 2.0% by the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2005, can be estimated to pay on medical care in 2005. And in addition it is analyzed on residential conditions and 65 cases of elderly housing. According to the 65 safety problem cases, it examines that in-house accidents of older people generally happen at the steps, toilet and bathroom. It is necessary to adapt physical conditions and it is more effective. As the result of research, medical fee by accident at home has been increasing and also it could be predicted to spend 280,800million won in 2005. To reduce medical fee, it is necessary to promote physical environment by renovation. When be decided to renovate a housing, we know that it is more effective to use a checklist of space using at home. And also it is suggested to amend a checklist with other factors including physical conditions and health condition and so on to promote a correctness.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.288-297
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• 2018

Background: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing, with metastasis of newly diagnosed CRC reported in a large proportion of patients. However, the effect of Korean Red Ginseng extracts (KRGE) on epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CRC is unknown. Therefore, we examined the mechanisms by which KRGE regulates EMT of CRC in hypoxic conditions. Methods: Human CRC cell lines HT29 and HCT116 were incubated under hypoxic (1% oxygen) and normoxic (21% oxygen) conditions. Western blot analysis and real-time PCR were used to evaluate the expression of EMT markers in the presence of KRGE. Furthermore, we performed scratched wound healing, transwell migration, and invasion assays to monitor whether KRGE affects migratory and invasive abilities of CRC cells under hypoxic conditions. Results: KRGE-treated HT29 and HCT116 cells displayed attenuated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA levels and hypoxia-inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ ($HIF-1{\alpha}$) protein expression under hypoxic conditions. KRGE repressed Snail, Slug, and Twist mRNA expression and integrin ${\alpha}V{\beta}6$ protein levels. Furthermore, hypoxia-repressed E-cadherin was restored in KRGE-treated cells; KRGE blocked the invasion and migration of colon cancer cells by repressing $NF-{\kappa}B$ and ERK1/2 pathways in hypoxia. Conclusions: KRGE inhibits hypoxia-induced EMT by repressing $NF-{\kappa}B$ and ERK1/2 pathways in colon cancer cells.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.77-99
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• 2024

Objectives : This study examined the possibility of therapeutic application of natural pigments in the Joseon Period other than aesthetic purposes. Methods : The medicinal properties of natural pigments as written in the texts Sangayorok, Gyuhapchongseo, Imwongyeongjeji were searched and analyzed in the texts Bencaogangmu, Encyclopedia of Eastern Medicine, and the Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals focusing on their Qi, flavor, effects and application. Of the conditions they treated, we examined whether they treated skin conditions using external application. The Korean Medical effects of these pigments were examined based on the content of the skin chapter of the Donguibogam. Results : We were able to extract 47 kinds of natural pigments, most of which had cold nature and bitter tasting properties. In addition, most of the pigments had the effect of treating skin conditions, illnesses due to micro-organisms, and of detoxifying. Conclusions : After consideration of medicinal properties and effects of the herbs that were used as pigments in the Joseon period, it could be concluded that as these herbs not only function as pigments but also hold properties that prevent skin conditions, their therapeutic functions could have been considered when using them as pigments.