• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.93-111
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• 2023

The authors investigated the artistic characteristics of autistic savant artists, hypotheses on the proximate and ultimate causes of their emergence, recent psychological and other studies about them, and psychological and neuroaesthetic studies about non-savant autistic individuals. The artistic features of autistic savant artists were significantly similar to those of outsider artists. Furthermore, the authors investigated the explanatory power of the paradoxical functional facilitation theory, the superior visual perception hypothesis, the "Hmmmmm" hypothesis, and the Neanderthal theory of autism regarding the emergence of autistic savant artists. In addition, we investigated whether an increase in savant characteristics was related to a decrease in the ability for social communication. The authors suggested that in studies on the aesthetic experience of non-savant autistic individuals, their aesthetic experience ability is never lower than that of neurotypical individuals and that some non-savant autistic individuals may potentially have artistic talent. Finally, the authors reviewed the effectiveness of the "autism savant spectrum syndromic disorder" proposed by some researchers. More scientific and systematic studies on autistic savant artists from a multidisciplinary perspective are warranted.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.545-554
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• 2016

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an important macromolecule in medical and pharmaceutical fields. HA is a natural and linear polymer composed of repeating disaccharide units of β-1, 3-N-acetyl glucosamine and β-1, 4-glucuronic acid. This work aimed to confirm the structural characteristics and anti-inflammatory activities of HA and its chemically sulfated-HA. HA was produced from a fed-batch fermentation process using Streptococcus dysgalactiae in a 5 l bioreactor. HA was isolated water-soluble form (HA-WS) and water-insoluble form (HA-WI) from culture medium, and was obtained chemically sulfated-derivative (S-HA) that resulted in a 90% yield from HA-WI. The structural features of the sulfated- HA (S-HA) were investigated by FT-IR and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. The FT-IR and NMR patterns revealed the similarity in both the FTIR spectrum as well as NMR spectrum of both reference standard and purified HA from S. dysgalactiae. The anti-inflammatory activities of HA and S-HA were examined on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. S-HA was significantly inhibited production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and PGE₂ and the gene levels of iNOS and COX-2, which are responsible for the production of NO and PGE₂, respectively. Furthermore, S-HA also suppressed the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α (<80 pg/ml) and IL-6 (<100 pg/ml) compared to that of HA-WI. The present study clearly demonstrates that HA-S exhibits anti-inflammatory activities in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 2003

Purpose : Infection with Shiga-like toxin (SLT)-producing Escherichia coli, an emerging human pathogen found particularly in young children under 5 years of age, causes a spectrum of illnesses with high morbidity and mortality, ranging from diarrhea to hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Host mediators play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLT-I toxicity. The experiments described here were designed to investigate the effect of SLT-I on TNF-${\alpha}$ production and to understand the effect of TNF-${\alpha}$ on GB3 expression. We also further examine the relationship between the Gb3 level and the differential susceptibility of cells to the cytotoxic action of SLT-I. Methods : The effect of purified SLT-1 from E. coli O157 : H7 (ATCC 43890) on tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) production in Raw264.7 cells was investigated. Many mediators regulate endothelial cell membrane expression of the glycolipid globotriaosyleramide (Gb3), which serves as the toxin receptor, suggesting that the host response to the toxin or other bacterial products may contribute to pathogenesis by regulating target cell sensitivity to the toxins. Therefore, the relationships between Gb3 expression and cytotoxicity against SLT-I on three types of cells were evaluated. Results : Detectable levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ were produced as early as six hours after induction and continued to increase during 48 hours by SLT-I. It was also found that Vero cells and dendritic cells (DC2.4 cells) expressed high levels of Gb3, 83% and 68%, respectively, and that Raw264.7 cells had a low level of Gb3 (29%) and appeared refractory to cytotoxicity against SLT-I. Vero cells and DC2.4 cells expressing high levels of Gb3 were highly susceptible to SLT-I. Furthermore, macrophages showed a resistance to SLT-I cytotoxicity, despite the fact that Gb3 expression was enhanced. Conclusion : These results strongly suggest that the expression of Gb3 is necessary but not sufficient to confer sensitivity of macrophages to SLT-I and further underpin the important role of SLT-I and its Gb3 receptors in the pathogenesis of E. coli O157 infection.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1245-1252
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• 2016

As a research of inflammation inhibitory activity using natural resource, the inflammation inhibitory activity by purified active compound from Rhododendron mucronulatum flower was experimented. Rhododendron mucronulatum flower components were purified and separated with Sephadex LH-20 and MCI gel CHP-20 column chromatography, Purified compound was confirmed as myricetin by $^1H-NMR$, $^{13}C-NMR$ and Fast atom bombardment (FAB)-Mass spectrum to have inhibition activity on inflammatory factors secreted by Raw 264.7 cells in response to lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Myricetin inhibited nitric oxide (NO) expression in a concentration dependent manner, approximately 40% inhibition was observed at a concentration of $50{\mu}M$. The inhibition effect of myricetin on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 protein expression was 20% and 80%, respectively, at a concentration of $25{\mu}M$. Myricetin also inhibited expression of the inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$, interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ in a concentration dependent manner; a concentration of $50{\mu}M$, 70%, 80%, 80% and 95% inhibition was observed, respectively. Therefore myricetin isolated from Rhododendron mucronulatum flowers is expected to have an anti-inflammatory effect in Raw 264.7 cell induced by lipopolysaccharides. The results can be expected myricetin from Rhododendron mucronulatum flower to use as functional resource for anti-inflammatory activity.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2004

The mixture of botanical antimicrobial agent-citurs product and ginseng extract mixture(BAACG) was applied to garlic stalk or pork cooked in soysauce to extend their selflife. BAACG showed a remarkable antimicrobial activity against a wide spectrum of food-borne infection microorganisms and thermal and pH stability. In comparison with scanning electron microscopic photos of microbial cells not-treated and treated with BAACG the physiological cytomembrane function of BAACG-treated microorganisms was destroyed and the dead cell numbers was increased. The quality of garlic stalk or pork cooked in soysauce was controlled by the addition of BAACG in their raw materials. BAACG-treated garlic stalk or pork cookeries showed considerably to decrease the numbers of total cell count and expressed no odor and no sticky state appeared in the control. BAACG was expected to be a preservative agent which could be applied to raw or processed food stuffs in the view of food safety.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Objectives : Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in a wide spectrum of diseases including chronic inflammation and cancer. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activities and anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts from the herbal teas such as Lonicera japonica Thunberg (L. japonica), Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat (C. morifolium), Mentha arvensis L. (M. arvensis), and P.rhizoma. Methods : Anti-oxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging assay and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating assay. And DNA cleavage assay was performed to evaluate an anti-oxidative effect. Anti-inflammatory effect was performed using NO generation assay and western blot in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cell line. Results : L. japonica scavenged DPPH radical by 9.8% at 12.5 ${\mu}g/ml$, 24.8% at 25 ${\mu}g/ml$, 34.3% at 50 ${\mu}g/ml$, 61.1% at 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ and 75.8% at 200 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In addition, C. morifolium and M. arvensis removed DPPH radical by 15.6% and 10.4% at 12.5 ${\mu}g/ml$, 34.8% and 22.8% at 25 ${\mu}g/ml$, 66.9% and 43.3% at 50 ${\mu}g/ml$, 87.4% and 69.1% at 100 ${\mu}g/ml$, and 92.1% and 73.2% at 200 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. However, P. rhizoma did not affect on DPPH radical scavenging. The $Fe^{2+}$ chelating activity was highest in L. japonica, but lowest in P. rhizoma among the herbal teas. In addition, the extracts from L. japonica, C. morifolium and M. arvensis inhibited oxidative DNA damage via its anti-oxidant activity. In anti-inflammatory effect, the extracts from C. morifolium inhibited NO production. In addition, it suppressed the $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusions : Together, this study indicates that L. japonica, M. arvensis and C. morifolium possess the protective effect against the oxidative DNA damage. Furthermore, C. morifolium exerts an anti-inflammatory effect.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.544-555
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• 2002

The aim of this study is to develop the $^1H$-MRS data postprocessing software for both single-voxel and multi-voxel technique, which plays and important role as a diagnostic tool in clinical field. This software is based on graphical user interface(GUI) under windows operating system of personal computer(PC). In case of single-voxel MRS, both of raw data in time-domain and spectrum data in frequency-domain are simultaneously displayed in a screen. Several functions such as DC correction, zero filling, line broadening, Lorentz-Gauss filtering and phase correction, etc. are included to increase the quality of spectrum data. In case of multi-voxel analysis, spectroscopic image reconstructed by 3-D FFT was displayed as a spectral grid and overlapped over previously obtained T1- or T2-weighted image for the spectra to be spatially registered with the image. The analysis of MRS peaks were performed by obtaining the ratio of peak area. In single-voxel method, statistically processed peak-area ratios of MRS data obtained from normal human brain are presented. Using multi-voxel method, MR spectroscopic image and metabolite image acquired from brain tumor are demonstrated.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to contribute to the prevention of occupational diseases through the development of an automatic analysis program for evaluating workers' exposure to hazardous chemical substances. Methods: The authors selected chemical substances that caused occupational disease in Korea and chemical substances that are frequently used in industrial sites as target substances for a GC-MS automatic analysis program. The target substances are organic compounds which can be measured by a passive sampler. The automatic analysis program was studied using various raw data obtained from GC-MS analysis for the target substances. Results: A total of 48 organic compounds that can be measured with a passive sampler were selected as target substances for the GC-MS automatic analysis program. The selected compounds included substances that caused occupational disease, substances related to C1 and D1 in special health examinations, and substances for which work environment measurements have been frequently conducted. The GC-MS automatic analysis program was developed by combining information mainly on retention time and mass spectrum. The GC-MS automatic analysis program is designed to analyze unknown samples by comparing the mass spectrum and retention time of the samples to those of reference materials. To evaluate the stability of the program, samples at about the 30-50% level of OELs were prepared and analyzed with the GC-MS automatic analysis program, resulting in stable results for all 48 organic compounds. Conclusion: An automatic analysis program for a total of 48 organic compounds was developed using a GC-MS system that can analyze organic compounds. Unknown samples that contain the 48 organic compounds can be automatically analyzed by the developed program. It is anticipated that it can contribute to the prevention of occupational diseases through an GC-MS automatic analysis program that can quickly provide workers with information on exposure to chemical substances.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.67-76
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• 2020

This study aims to optimize the cochlea-inspired artificial filter bank (CAFB) using El-Centro seismic waveforms and test its performance through a shaking table test on a two-span bridge model. In the process of optimizing the CAFB, El-Centro seismic waveforms were used for the purpose of evaluating how they would affect the optimizing process. Next, the optimized CAFB was embedded in the developed wireless-based intelligent data acquisition (IDAQ) system to enable response measurement in real-time. For its performance evaluation to obtain a seismic response in real-time using the optimized CAFB, a two-span bridge (model structures) was installed in a large shaking table, and a seismic response experiment was carried out on it with El-Centro seismic waveforms. The CAFB optimized in this experiment was able to obtain the seismic response in real-time by compressing it using the embedded wireless-based IDAQ system while the obtained compressed signals were compared with the original signal (un-compressed signal). The results of the experiment showed that the compressed signals were superior to the raw signal in response performance, as well as in data compression effect. They also proved that the CAFB was able to compress response signals effectively in real-time even under seismic conditions. Therefore, this paper established that the CAFB optimized by being embedded in the wireless-based IDAQ system was an economical and efficient data compression sensing technology for measuring and monitoring the seismic response in real-time from structures based on the wireless sensor networks (WSNs).

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2012

In this paper, we describe the installation of VLBI Correlation Subsystem (VCS) main product and its performance at the Korea-Japan Correlation Center (KJCC). The VCS main product was installed at KJCC in August 2009. For the overall performance evaluation of VCS, playbacks, Raw VLBI Data Buffer (RVDB) system, and Data Archive (DA) system were installed together. The VCS main product was connected between RVDB and DA, and the correlation results were put into the DA to confirm the normal operation of VCS 16 station mode configuration. The evaluation test was first performed with 4 station mode, same as the factory test of VCS main product. Based on the results of 4 station mode, the same evaluation test was conducted for 16 station mode of VCS. We found that the correlation results of VCS were almost similarly compared to those of the Mitaka FX Correlator. Through the test results, we confirmed that the problems such as spectrum errors, delay parameter processing module and field programmable gate array errors in antenna unit, which were generated at the factory test of VCS main product, were clearly solved. And we verified the performance and connectivity of VCS by obtaining the expected correlation results and we also confirmed that the performance of VCS was sufficient for real VLBI observation data in both 4 and 16 station modes.