• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2018

Background: Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is the most accurate for calculating radiation dose distribution and determining patient dose. In MC simulations of the therapeutic accelerator, the characteristics of the initial electron must be precisely determined in order to achieve accurate simulations. However, It has been computation-, labor-, and time-intensive to predict the beam characteristics through predominantly empirical approach. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between electron beam parameters and dose distribution, with the goal of simplifying the MC commissioning process. Materials and Methods: The Varian Clinac 2300 IX machine was modeled with the Geant4 MC-toolkit. The percent depth dose (PDD) and lateral beam profiles were assessed according to initial electron beam parameters of mean energy, radial intensity distribution, and energy distribution. Results and Discussion: The PDD values increased on average by 4.36% when the mean energy increased from 5.6 MeV to 6.4 MeV. The PDD was also increased by 2.77% when the energy spread increased from 0 MeV to 1.019 MeV. In the lateral dose profile, increasing the beam radial width from 0 mm to 4 mm at the full width at half maximum resulted in a dose decrease of 8.42% on the average. The profile also decreased by 4.81% when the mean energy was increased from 5.6 MeV to 6.4 MeV. Of all tested parameters, electron mean energy had the greatest influence on dose distribution. The PDD and profile were calculated using parameters optimized and compared with the golden beam data. The maximum dose difference was assessed as less than 2%. Conclusion: The relationship between the initial electron and treatment beam quality investigated in this study can be used in Monte Carlo commissioning of medical linear accelerator model.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.53-59
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• 2017

This study was attempted to identify the domestic research related to depression and stress. The subjects of the analysis were 1,875 college degree theses thrown in the National Assembly Library searched by the depression and stress keyword as of November 30, 2016. The analysis method visualizes atypical data with Word Cloud, which is one of the text mining techniques. We also used the R'LDA package and LDA to classify treatment and subjects. As a result of the analysis, 233(12.4%) of the total papers with therapeutic keywords were found. Application of treatment methods was art therapy, music therapy, horticultural therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, clinical art therapy, cognitive therapy, psychological therapy, depression treatment, group therapy, laughter treatment sequence. The study subjects were adolescents, elderly, patient, mother, child, female, parents, and college students in order. The results of LDA topic analysis for adolescents were classified into four topics: self-support, treatment program, relationship effect, and variable study.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.369-376
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• 2007

Cyclosporine (CsA) and tacrolimus (FK506) have a narrow therapeutic range, and their pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristic varies among individual. They are also substrates for cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, 3A5 genes, and P-glycoprotein, the product of the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1). The aims were to investigate the relationship between CYP3A and MDR1 genotypes and their PK parameters among healthy subjects. We investigated the genotype for CYP3A and MDR1 gene in human using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. After oral administration of CsA and FK506 (100 mg and 1 mg, respectively), whole blood samples were taken up to 24 hours. Blood CsA and FK506 concentrations were measured by LC/MS/MS. Each PK parameters were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test according to the CYP3A and MDR1 genotype. We found that the values of AVC for CsA were significantly different among CYP3A5 and MDR1 exon 26 (C3435T) genotypes (P=0.037 and P=0.049). On the other hand, the AUC for FK506 was significantly different only among CYP3A5 genotypes (P=0.013). The results clearly demonstrate the effects of CYP3A5 and MDR1 exon 26 on Cys and FK506 disposition.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.267-276
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• 2014

Exposures to lead (Pb) are associated with neurological problems including psychiatric disorders and impaired learning and memory. Pb can be absorbed by iron transporters, which are up-regulated in hereditary hemochromatosis, an iron overload disorder in which increased iron deposition in various parenchymal organs promote metal-induced oxidative damage. While dysfunction in HFE (High Fe) gene is the major cause of hemochromatosis, the transport and toxicity of Pb in Hfe-related hemochromatosis are largely unknown. To elucidate the relationship between HFE gene dysfunction and Pb absorption, H67D knock-in Hfe-mutant and wild-type mice were given drinking water containing Pb 1.6 mg/ml ad libitum for 6 weeks and examined for behavioral phenotypes using the nestlet-shredding and marble-burying tests. Latency to nestlet-shredding in Pb-treated wild-type mice was prolonged compared with non-exposed wild-types (p < 0.001), whereas Pb exposure did not alter shredding latency in Hfe-mutant mice. In the marble-burying test, Hfe-mutant mice showed an increased number of marbles buried compared with wild-type mice (p = 0.002), indicating more repetitive behavior upon Hfe mutation. Importantly, Pb-exposed wild-type mice buried more marbles than non-exposed wild-types, whereas the number of marbles buried by Hfe-mutant mice did not change whether or not exposed to Pb. These results suggest that Hfe mutation could normalize Pb-induced behavioral alteration. To explore the mechanism of repetitive behavior caused by Pb, western blot analysis was conducted for proteins involved in brain dopamine metabolism. The levels of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter increased upon Pb exposure in both genotypes, whereas Hfe-mutant mice displayed down-regulation of the dopamine transporter and dopamine D1 receptor with D2 receptor elevated. Taken together, our data support the idea that both Pb exposure and Hfe mutation increase repetitive behavior in mice and further suggest that these behavioral changes could be associated with altered dopaminergic neurotransmission, providing a therapeutic basis for psychiatric disorders caused by Pb toxicity.

• Annals of dermatology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.645-652
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• 2018

Background: Adiponectin, an adipokine secreted from adipocytes, affects energy metabolism and also shows anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies have reported that adiponectin plays a role in regulating skin inflammation. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of adiponectin on the expression of filaggrin (FLG) in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs). Methods: NHEKs were serum-starved for 6h before being treated with adiponectin. Afterward, cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. We also treated with calcium, interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-13 to provide positive and negative comparative controls, respectively. Gene mRNA expression was quantified using real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and protein expression was evaluated using Western blot. To evaluate the relationship among mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), activator protein 1 (AP-1), and FLG, we also treated cells with inhibitors for MAPKs JNK, p38, and ERK1/2. Results: FLG and FLG-2 mRNA expression in NHEKs significantly increased after treatment with $10{\mu}g/ml$ adiponectin. Adiponectin also restored FLG and FLG-2 mRNA expression that was otherwise inhibited by treatment with IL-4 and IL-13. Adiponectin induced FLG expression via AP-1 and MAPK signaling. Conclusion: Adiponectin positively regulated the expression of FLG and could be useful as a therapeutic agent to control diseases related to disrupted skin barrier function.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.321-330
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the reliability and validity of the Korean self-compassion scale using data from 312 correctional workers. To validate the self-compassion scale using the collected data, correlational analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were applied. To explore relationships between the self-compassion scale and related instruments, five instruments were used (the Korean occupational stress scale, the center for epidemiological studies depression scale, the Maslach burnout inventory scale, perceived stress scale, and the satisfaction with life scale). The results showed that the collected data better fit the 6-factor model than the 3-factor and 2-factor models. There were statistically significant relationships between the self-compassion scale and five other scales. These results suggest that the self-compassion scale is a good instrument to examine risk factors that can remain during continuous stress situations and to explore protective factors that can maintain the therapeutic relationship. The implications of this study and future research directions were also discussed.

• Journal of Endocrine Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.228-235
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• 2018

Purpose: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family plays a crucial role in the growth of malignant tumors. EGFR and human EGFR 2 (HER2) protein overexpression are associated with an unfavorable prognosis and are important therapeutic targets in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between EGFR and HER2 expression and clinicopathological factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) at a single institution. Methods: A total of 129 consecutive patients with PTC were enrolled in this study and underwent thyroid surgery between October 2013 and February 2015. EGFR and HER2 protein expression was evaluated in the 129 primary tumors by immunohistochemistry, and the results were compared with the clinicopathological features. Results: Of the 129 PTC tumors, 20 (15.5%) were HER2 positive, and 109 (84.5%) were HER2 negative. Moreover, EGFR positivity were observed in 111 (86%) tumors. The mean age of the patients was $46.3{\pm}11.9years$ (range, 20-74 years), and the mean tumor size was $1.08{\pm}0.75cm$ (range, 0.2-3.5 cm). Tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, histological subtype, and TNM stage were not significantly associated with EGFR or HER2 expression. Meanwhile, high Ki-67 labeling index was significantly associated with EGFR expression (P=0.002), HER2 expression was significantly associated with younger age (${\leq}45years$) and cervical lymph node metastasis. Conclusion: Based on our data, it is not clear whether EGFR and HER2 expression is associated with tumor aggressiveness in PTC.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.293-301
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship andinfluence of Focusing manner to deal with somatization symptoms of adolescents with experience of cyberbullying. For this study, we conducted on teenagers aged 14 to 19. A total of 366 of these results -84 men (23%) and 282 women(77%)- were used for the analysis. Data was analyzed through frequency analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. As a result, cyber-bullying experiences have a positive effect on somatizaion symptoms. Among the sub-factors of focusing manner, "knowledge" and "reviewing" have a negative effect on somatizaion symptoms, and "expression" has an negative effect on somatizaion symptoms. Based on the results of the study, the need for a therapeutic approach to focusing manner was presented when appealing for somatizaion symptoms of adolescents who experienced cyberbullying.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.81-89
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• 2019

This study was analyzed about the relationship between culture microenvironment and cell differentiation of HPV 16 E6/E7-transfected immortalized oral keratinocyte(IHOK). By the alteration of culture environment, IHOK-EF and IHOK-EFKGM were obtained, and the modulation of cell properties was observed by cell proliferation assay, immunofluorescence, microarray, and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. IHOK-EF losed the properties of epithelial cells and obtained the properties of mesenchymal cells, and in the result of microarray analysis, genes related to the inhibition of differentiation such as IL6, TWIST1, and ID2 were highly expressed in IHOK-EF. When the culture environment was recovered to initial environment, these changes were recovered partially, presenting the return of genes involved in the inhibition of differentiation such as IL6, and ID2, particularly. This study will contribute to understand adjustment aspect for cell surviving according to the change of culture microenvironment in the study for determining the cell characteristic, and facilitate therapeutic approach for human disease by applying surviving study according to the change of cancer microenvironment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.55-69
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review the latest discussions on the mechanism of Itching. Methods : Articles that reviewed the mechanism of itching were searched from Pubmed (January 2016 to June 2021). In addition, review articles discussing the gastrointestinal tract and the mechanisms of pruritus were searched seperately. Results : The articles are classified into three categories. These categories are the classification according to the passage of time (acute, chronic), the immune factors involved (inflammatory, non-inflammatory), and the neurophysiological mechanism (pruritoceptive itching, neuropathic itching, neurogenic itching, psychogenic itching). In each category, the articles over the past five years are summarized and reviewed. Also, how the status of the gastrointestinal tract is reflected in itching was discussed in terms of leaky gut syndrome, neuro/gastrointestinal peptides, and gut microbiota. Conclusions : This review introduces the recently discussed mechanism of itching, and in particular, examines how the gastrointestinal tract is related to skin itching. Based on these considerations, it is expected that more diverse therapeutic approaches can be explored in the future.