• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.651-660
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• 2011

This study was conducted to evaluate the quality characteristics of and chilling injury development in 'Ooishiwase' plum fruits after harvest, according to the ripening stage and storage temperature. The fruits were harvested at three ripening stages (60, 80, and >90% skin color) and were then stored at 1, 4, 5, 6, and $20^{\circ}C$ cold-storage rooms for up to 48 days. The fruit quality parameters, respiration patterns, and chilling injury development were monitored during the storage periods and the three days of subsequent ripening at $20^{\circ}C$. The fruits harvested at the 60%-skin-color stage maintained the flesh firmness, color, weight loss, and TA, and their respiration rates and ethylene production were decreased compared with the 80%-or >90%-skin-color fruits, at a lower storage temperature. The major symptoms of chilling injuries in the Ooishiwase plums were gel breakdown, flesh browning, and flesh translucency. These symptoms appeared at all the low-storage-temperature and ripening treatment stages. When the fruits, however, were harvested at a more immature stage and were stored at a lower storage temperature, the chilling injury development decreased. These results show that the development of chilling injury in Ooishiwase plums is related to the climacteric behavior during cold storage.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1096-1106
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• 2018

Purpose: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the sixth most common cause of death in the United States. MicroRNAs have been identified as vital players in neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. microRNA-128 (miR-128) has been shown to be dysregulated in AD. This study aimed to explore the roles and molecular mechanisms of miR-128 in AD progression. Materials and Methods: Expression patterns of miR-128 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR-{\gamma}$) messenger RNA in clinical samples and cells were measured using RT-qPCR assay. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ protein levels were determined by Western blot assay. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry via double-staining of Annexin V-FITC/PI. Caspase 3 and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity was determined by a Caspase 3 Activity Assay Kit or $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 Transcription Factor Assay Kit, respectively. Bioinformatics prediction and luciferase reporter assay were used to investigate interactions between miR-128 and $PPAR-{\gamma}$ 3'UTR. Results: MiR-128 expression was upregulated and $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expression was downregulated in plasma from AD patients and $amyloid-{\beta}$ $(A{\beta})-treated$ primary mouse cortical neurons (MCN) and Neuro2a (N2a) cells. Inhibition of miR-128 decreased $A{\beta}-mediated$ cytotoxicity through inactivation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ in MCN and N2a cells. Moreover, $PPAR-{\gamma}$ was a target of miR-128. $PPAR-{\gamma}$ upregulation attenuated $A{\beta}-mediated$ cytotoxicity by inactivating $NF-{\kappa}B$ in MCN and N2a cells. Furthermore, $PPAR-{\gamma}$ downregulation was able to abolish the effect of anti-miR-128 on cytotoxicity and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity in MCN and N2a cells. Conclusion: MiR-128 inhibitor decreased $A{\beta}-mediated$ cytotoxicity by upregulating $PPAR-{\gamma}$ via inactivation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ in MCN and N2a cells, providing a new potential target in AD treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2022

Objectives: Bee venom (BV) is a widely used therapy in Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM). We previously reported that BV was clinically effective for treating Parkinson's disease, that phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) was the main component of BV, and that it induced regulatory T cells (Tregs) by binding CD206 on dendritic cells (DCs). Therefore, we aimed to reconfirm our findings in human blood samples and investigate the relationship between CD206⁺ DCs and clinical syndrome differentiation in TEAM. Methods: We surveyed 100 subjects with questionnaires on cold-heat patternization and obtained their blood samples. The obtained human peripheral blood monocytes (hPBMCs) were washed with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). After resuspension with ex vivo media, numbers of cells were counted. Tregs were counted after culturing the samples in a 37℃ CO₂ incubator for 72 h. Results: We divided the subjects into a relatively high CD206⁺ group or a relatively low CD206⁺ group. The heat factor scores of high CD206⁺ group were significantly higher than that of low CD206⁺ group (high vs low: 239.2 ± 54.1 vs 208.4 ± 55.1, p=0.023). After culturing with PLA₂, Tregs increased in the high CD206⁺ group but decreased in the low CD206⁺ group. Conclusion: In this study, we reconfirm that CD206⁺ DCs induced Treg differentiation by incubating human blood samples with PLA₂ and that they showed an association with syndrome differentiation, especially with heat patterns, in TEAM. A heat pattern in TEAM might be one indication for PLA₂ therapy because its score was elevated in the high CD206⁺ group.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.96-109
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• 2023

Objectives : The objective of this study is to predict how future infectious diseases will affect healthcare utilization patterns within korean medicine hospitals and, specifically, departments of ophthalmology, otolaryngology and dermatology of Korean medicine. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed medical records of patients who visited Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital during Pre COVID-19(from March 1st, 2018 to Feb 29th, 2019) and Post COVID-19(from March 1st, 2019 to Feb 28th, 2022). The data was analyzed by visit type and diagnosed disease code. Results : 1. After the COVID-19 break-out, the number of first visit patients increased but those of revisit patients, total patients, and revisit/first visit ratio decreased in all departments. 2. In Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, the decrease rate of the number of total patients diagnosed with diseases of respiratory system(J00-J99) was the highest, while that for diseases of circulatory system(I00-I99) was the lowest. 3. In the department of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology of Korean Medicine, the decrease rate of the number of total patients with nose disease was the highest, followed by eye disease and ear disease. 4. In the department of Dermatology of Korean Medicine, the number of total patients with dermatitis remained consistent, while the number of total patients with skin appendage disease showed relatively high decrease rate. Conclusions : Severe or chronic diseases showed relatively low decrease rate of the number of total patients. While mild diseases or diseases with high probability of exposure to COVID-19 infection during treatment showed high decrease rate of the number of total patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.113-127
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• 2023

Background: Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) may aid in understanding the link between painmodulating brain regions and the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) in fibromyalgia (FM). This study investigated whether the differences in rs-FC of the primary somatosensory cortex in responders and non-responders to the conditioned pain modulation test (CPM-test) are related to pain, sleep quality, central sensitization, and the impact of FM on quality of life. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 33 females with FM. rs-FC was assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Change in the numerical pain scale during the CPM-test assessed the DPMS function. Subjects were classified either as non-responders (i.e., DPMS dysfunction, n = 13) or responders (n = 20) to CPM-test. A generalized linear model (GLM) and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to check the accuracy of the rs-FC to differentiate each group. Results: Non-responders showed a decreased rs-FC between the left somatosensory cortex (S1) and the periaqueductal gray (PAG) (P < 0.001). The GLM analysis revealed that the S1-PAG rs-FC in the left-brain hemisphere was positively correlated with a central sensitization symptom and negatively correlated with sleep quality and pain scores. ROC curve analysis showed that left S1-PAG rs-FC offers a sensitivity and specificity of 85% or higher (area under the curve, 0.78, 95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.94) to discriminate who does/does not respond to the CPM-test. Conclusions: These results support using the rs-FC patterns in the left S1-PAG as a marker for predicting CPM-test response, which may aid in treatment individualization in FM patients.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.274-283
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• 1998

It has generally been accepted that quality of ginseng should be determined not by the content of a single component but by composition and balance of total active principles. However, there still can be an exception with a product in which a given ginsenoside is used for the treatment of a specific disease. Although ginsenosides have been regarded to be major active components of ginseng and employed as index components for the quality control, it does not consistent with the traditional concept on ginseng quality creterion; main root has been more highly appreciated than the lateral or fine root. Content of ginsenosides in the lateral or fine root is much higher than that in main root. However, the ratio of protopanaxadiol (PD) and protopanaxatriol (PT) saponins existing in various part of ginseng root is greatly different. The ratio of PD/PT saponins in main root is well balanced but the thinner the root is the higher the ratio. Thus far, a total of 34 different kinds of ginsenosides have been isolated from Korean (red) ginseng, and their pharmacological activities were elucidated partly. Interestingly, different ginsenoside shows similar or contrary effects to each other in biological systems, thus indicating the significance of absolute content of single ginsenoside as well as compositional patterns of each ginsenoside. Therefore, pharmacological activities of ginseng should be determined as a wholly concept. In these regards, standardization of ginseng material (fresh ginseng root) should be preceded to the standardization of ginseng products because ginsenoside content and non-saponin active principles such as polysaccharides and nitrogen (N)-containing compound including proteins are significantly different from part to part of the root. In other words, the main root contains less ginsenosides than other lateral or fine roots. Contents of polysaccharides and N-containing compound in main root is higher. However, the quality control of ginseng products focused on non-saponin compounds has limitation in applying to the analytical method, because of the difficult chemical analysis of these compounds. Content of ginsenosides, and ratios of PD/PT and ginsenoside Rb,/Rg, are inversely proportional to the diameter of ginseng root. Therefore, these can be served as the chemical parameters for the indirect method of evaluating from what part of the root does the material originate. Furthermore, contents of polysaccharides and N-containing compounds show inverse relationship to saponin content. Therefore, it seems that index for analytical chemistry of saponin can be applied to the indirect method of evaluating not only saponin but also non-saponin compounds of ginseng. From these viewpoints, it is strongly recommended that quality of ginseng or ginseng products be judged not only by the absolute content of given ginsenoside but also by varieties and compositional balance of ginsenosides, including contents of non-saponin active principles.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2006

The effects of ultrasonication on phytoplankton were investigated in two ponds in which physicochemical and biological water quality was similar, one as a treatment and the other as a control. The samples were collected from August 18 to September 30 in 2003. Traditional morphological analysis showed that Bacillariophyceae dominated phytoplankton community in both ponds. The abundance of Cyanophyceae was lower in the phytoplankton community of the sonicated pond than that of control pond. We used DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) to analyze the diversity and change of phytoplankton community in two ponds. The DGGE banding patterns of 16S rRNA gene and sequence analysis demonstrated that Oscillatoria acuminata and CFB (Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides) group bacterium appeared in the treated pond, and the control pond was dominated by Synechococcus sp. and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. Especially, Pseudanabaena sp. dominated during the ultrasonic cessation in the treated pond. The DGGE profiles of 18S rRNA gene and sequence analysis showed that the treated pond was dominated by Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the control pond by C. reinhardtii and Pteromonas protracta. In conclusion, the ultrasonication affected the reduced growth of cyanobacteria, particularly Pseudanabaena.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.361-369
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• 2015

This study investigated residual characteristics of bistrifluron and fluopicolide in Korean cabbage, and suggested the pre-harvest residue limits (PHRLs) based on their dissipation patterns and biological half-lives. The pesticides were sprayed on Korean cabbage in two different region under greenhouse conditions at the recommended dose, respectively. The samples for residue analysis were harvested at 0 (2 hr), 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days after treatment, and analyzed by HPLC after clean-up with Florisil SPE. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was $0.03mg\;kg^{-1}$ for bistrifluron and fluopicolide, and the recoveries ranged from 87.2-110.6% with below 5% of RSD. The biological half-lives of field I and field II were 3.9 and 4.2 days for bistrifluron and 4.9 and 4.2 days for fluopicolide, respectively. The PHRL of bistrifluron and fluopicolide were recommended as 3.83 and $3.23mg\;kg^{-1}$ for 10 days before harvest, respectively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.158-164
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• 2012

Purpose: To evaluated the patterns of failure, survival rate, treatment-related toxicity and prognostic factors in postoperative radiotherapy of patients with ependymoma. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy for ependymoma between the period of June 1994 and June 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. The age of patients ranged from 21 months to 66 years (median, 19 years). Seventeen patients had grade II ependymoma, and 13 had grade III anaplastic ependymoma according to the World Health Organization grading system. The postoperative irradiation was performed with 4 or 6 MV photon beam with median dose of 52.8 Gy (range, 45 to 63 Gy), and radiation field including 2 cm beyond the preoperative tumor volume. Median follow-up period was 51 months (range, 12 to 172 months). Results: Fourteen out of 30 (46.7%) patients experienced recurrence, and 12 of those died. Among those 14 patients who experienced recurrence, 11 were in-field and 3 were out-of-field recurrence. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 66.7% and 56.1%, respectively. On univariate analysis, tumor grade was a statistically significant prognostic factor for OS and PFS. There were two complications after surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, including short stature and facial palsy on the left side. Conclusion: We observed good survival rates, and histologic grade was a prognostic factor affecting the OS and PFS. Almost all recurrence occurred in primary tumor site, thus we suggest further evaluation on intensity-modulated radiotherapy or stereotatic radiosurgery for high-risk patients such as who have anaplastic ependymoma.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.25 no.3 s.50
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• pp.341-353
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• 1995

Previous study had shown the diversities in the propriety for optimal bond strength on the concentration of the etchant. The aim of present study in vitro was to evaluate and compare the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets to enamel and to measure the depth of etch on the phosphoric acid concentrations. A hundred and seventy six extracted bovine lower centrals were ground to yield flat surfaces and etched by the concentration $0%,\;5%,\;10%,\;20%,\;30%,\;40%,\;50%,\;60%,\;70%,\;80%\;and\;85\%$ of phosphoric acid respectively during 60 seconds. The shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets, the depth of etch and surface roughness of the enamel were measured, and scanning electron microscopic observations on the etched enamel surfaces were carried out. The data obtained from the very experiments were processed and statistically analyzed and evaluated. The gradual increase in the depth of etch to enamel as the accretion of the concentration of the phosphoric acid upto $40-50\%$ and decline henceforth were manifested. The surface roughness showed no correlation with the depth of etch, yet moderate correlation with the shear bond strength of brackets. Scanning electron microscopic investigation revealed that morphological patterns of the etched enamel surfaces for $5\%\;to\;40\%$ of concentrations were even and homogenous, and those for $50\%$ as well as $60\%$ exhibited the overetched and unhomogenous. The shear bond strengths kom $10\%\;to\;60\%$ of concentration showed no statistically significant differences. It was suggested that the shear bond strengths at $5\%\;and\;70\%$ were sufficient to tolerate the force levels of the ordinary orthodontic treatment notwithstanding to be significantly lower than those from $10\%\;to\;60\%$ phosphoric acid solution.