• Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.128-133
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• 2018

Appropriate prescription writing is one of the critical medical processes affecting the quality of public health care. However, this is a complex task for newly qualified intern doctors because of its complex characteristics requiring sufficient knowledge of medications and principles of clinical pharmacology, skills of diagnosis and communication, and critical judgment. This study aims to gather data on the current status of undergraduate prescribing education in South Korea. Two surveys were administered in this study: survey A to 26 medical schools in South Korea to gather information on the status of undergraduate education in clinical pharmacology; and survey B to 244 intern doctors in large hospitals to gather their opinions regarding prescribing education and ability. In survey A, half of the responding institutions provided prescribing education via various formats of classes over two curriculums including lecture, applied practice, group discussions, computer-utilized training, and workshops. In survey B, we found that intern doctors have the least confidence when prescribing drugs for special patient populations, especially pregnant women. These intern doctors believed that a case-based practical training or group discussion class would be an effective approach to supplement their prescribing education concurrently or after the clerkship in medical schools or right before starting intern training with a core drug list. The results of the present study may help instructors in charge of prescribing education when communicating and cooperating with each other to improve undergraduate prescribing education and the quality of national medical care.

• Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.63-66
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• 2017

Allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome are reportedly associated with the $HLA-B^{\star}58:01$ genotype. Three patients who developed SCARs after allopurinol administration were subjected to HLA-B genotyping and lymphocyte activation test (LAT) to evaluate genetic risk and to detect the causative agent, respectively. All three patients given allopurinol to treat gout were diagnosed with DRESS syndrome. Symptom onset commenced 7-24 days after drug exposure; the patients took allopurinol (100-200 mg/d) for 2-30 days. HLA-B genotyping was performed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-sequence-based typing (SBT) method. All patients had a single $HLA-B^{\star}58:01$ allele: $HLA-B^{\star}13:02/^{\star}58:01$ (a 63-year-old male), $HLA-B^{\star}48:01/^{\star}58:01$ (a 71-year-old female), and $HLA-B^{\star}44:03/^{\star}58:01$ (a 22-year-old male). Only the last patient yielded a positive LAT result, confirming that allopurinol was the causative agent. These findings suggest that patients with $HLA-B^{\star}58:01$ may develop SCARs upon allopurinol administration. Therefore, HLA-B genotyping could be helpful in preventing serious problems attributable to allopurinol treatment, although PCR-SBT HLA-B genotyping is time consuming. A simple genotyping test is required in practice. LAT may help to identify a causative agent.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2021

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing unmethylated CpG phosphorothioate (PS CpG-ODN) are known to decrease IgE synthesis in Th2 allergy responses. Nonetheless, the therapeutic role of PS CpG-ODN is limited due to cytotoxicity. Therefore, we developed a phosphodiester (PO) form of CpG-ODN (46O) with reduced toxicity but effective against allergies. In this study, we first compared the toxicity of 46O with CpG-ODNs containing a PS backbone (1826S). We also investigated the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of 46O injected intravenously in a mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD). To elucidate the mechanism of 46O underlying the inhibition of IgE production, IgE- and TGF-β-associated molecules were evaluated in CD40/IL-4- or LPS/IL-4-stimulated B cells. Our data showed that the treatment with 46O was associated with a lower hematological toxicity compared with 1826S. In addition, injection with 46O reduced erythema, epidermal thickness, and suppressed IgE and IL-4 synthesis in mice with OVA-induced AD. Additionally, 46O induced TGF-β production in LPS/IL-4-stimulated B cells via inhibition of Smad7, which suppressed IgE synthesis via interaction between Id2 and E2A. These findings suggest that enhanced TGF-β signaling is an effective treatment for IgE-mediated allergic conditions, and 46O may be safe and effective for treating allergic diseases such as AD and asthma.

• Exercise Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 2017

INTRODUCTION: Regulation of skeletal muscle protein mass is implicated not only in exercise performance but in metabolic health. Exercise in combination with nutrition, particularly dietary protein/amino acid intake, are the pragmatic approach that effectively induces muscle anabolic response (i.e., muscle hypertrophy) through regulating protein synthesis and breakdown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this review was to summarize available data on the effect of exercise intervention and amino acids intake on muscle protein synthesis and breakdown and provide an insight into development of an effective exercise intervention and amino acids supplements, applicable to training practice. METHODS: In this review, we have reviewed currently available data mainly from stable isotope tracer studies with respect to the effect of exercise intervention and protein or amino acid supplement on muscle protein anabolic response. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, exercise alone may not be effective in achieving a positive net muscle protein balance due to the fact that protein breakdown still exceeds protein synthesis until nutrition intake such as protein/amino acids. It appears that muscle anabolic response increases in proportional to the amount of protein intake up to 20 - 35 g depending on quality of protein, age, differences on exercise intensity, duration, and frequency, and individual's training status

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.422-434
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• 2021

This study aims to explore the structural relationships among experiences of being heard in home and school settings, self-esteem, and human rights awareness. Among the 2017 NYPI Cross-sectional Survey on the Rights of Youth & Children, 6,405 middle and high school students (47.8% females) were used to conduct a structural equation modeling using Mplus. It was found that children who experience being heard in the home or school display higher levels of self-esteem and awareness of human rights. It was also found that self-esteem is more likely to increase awareness of human rights. Self-esteem was also found to mediate the pathway between the experience of being heard at home or school and human rights awareness. In addition, there was no significant difference in path coefficients depending on whether they received human rights education. Practical implications for promoting home and school environments where children's opinions can be heard were discussed.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.88-95
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• 2022

PURPOSE. This study investigated the accuracy of full-arch intraoral scans obtained by various scan strategies with the segmental scan and merge methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Seventy intraoral scans (seven scans per group) were performed using 10 scan strategies that differed in the segmental scan (1, 2, or 3 segments) and the scanning motion (straight, zigzag, or combined). The three-dimensional (3D) geometric accuracy of scan images was evaluated by comparison with a reference image in an image analysis software program, in terms of the arch shape discrepancies. Measurement parameters were the intermolar distance, interpremolar distance, anteroposterior distance, and global surface deviation. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey honestly significance difference post hoc tests were carried out to compare differences among the scan strategy groups (α = .05). RESULTS. The linear discrepancy values of intraoral scans were not different among scan strategies performed with the single scan and segmental scan methods. In general, differences in the scan motion did not show different accuracies, except for the intermolar distance measured under the scan conditions of a 3-segmental scan and zigzag motion. The global surface deviations were not different among all scan strategies. CONCLUSION. The segmental scan and merge methods using two scan parts appear to be reliable as an alternative to the single scan method for full-arch intraoral scans. When three segmental scans are involved, the accuracy of complete arch scan can be negatively affected.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.437-446
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• 2022

In this study, to obtain icaritin with high pharmacological activities from icariin, which has a content ratio of over 58% in the total flavonoids of Epimedium herb, a special Epimedium flavonoid-glycosidase was produced, purified and characterized from Aspergillus sp.y848 strain. The optimal enzyme production was gained in a medium containing 5% (w/v) wheat bran extract and 0.7% (w/v) Epimedium leaf powder as the enzyme inducer, and strain culture at 30℃ for 6-7 days. The molecular weight of the enzyme was approximately 73.2 kDa; the optimal pH and temperature were 5.0 and 40℃. The enzyme Km and Vmax values for icariin were 15.63 mM and 55.56 mM/h. Moreover, the enzyme hydrolyzed the 7-O-glucosides of icariin into icariside II, and finally hydrolyzed 3-Orhamnoside of icariside II into icaritin. The enzyme also hydrolyzed 7-O-glucosides of epimedin B to sagittatoside B, and then further hydrolyzed terminal 3-O-xyloside of sagittatoside B to icarisiede II, before finally hydrolyzing 3-O-rhamnoside of icarisiede II into icaritin. The enzyme only hydrolyzed 7-O-glucoside of epimedin A or epimedin C into sagittatoside A or sagittatoside C. It is possible to prepare icaritin from the high-content icariin in Epimedium herb using this enzyme. When 2.5% icariin was reacted at 40℃ for 18-20 h by the low-cost crude enzyme, 5.04 g icaritin with 98% purity was obtained from 10 g icariin. Also, the icaritin molar yield was 92.5%. Our results showed icaritin was successfully produced via cost-effective and relatively simple methods from icariin by crude enzyme. Our results should be very useful for the development of medicines from Epimedium herb.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.370-379
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• 2022

Human pregnancy is a delicate and complex process where multiorgan interactions between two independent systems, the mother, and her fetus, maintain pregnancy. Intercellular interactions that can define homeostasis at the various cellular level between the two systems allow uninterrupted fetal growth and development until delivery. Interactions are needed for tissue remodeling during pregnancy at both fetal and maternal tissue layers. One of the mechanisms that help tissue remodeling is via cellular transitions where epithelial cells undergo a cyclic transition from epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) and back from mesenchymal to epithelial (MET). Two major pregnancy-associated tissue systems that use EMT, and MET are the fetal membrane (amniochorion) amnion epithelial layer and cervical epithelial cells and will be reviewed here. EMT is often associated with localized inflammation, and it is a well-balanced process to facilitate tissue remodeling. Cyclic transition processes are important because a terminal state or the static state of EMT can cause accumulation of proinflammatory mesenchymal cells in the matrix regions of these tissues and increase localized inflammation that can cause tissue damage. Interactions that determine homeostasis are often controlled by both endocrine and paracrine mediators. Pregnancy maintenance hormone progesterone and its receptors are critical for maintaining the balance between EMT and MET. Increased intrauterine oxidative stress at term can force a static (terminal) EMT and increase inflammation that are physiologic processes that destabilize homeostasis that maintain pregnancy to promote labor and delivery of the fetus. However, conditions that can produce an untimely increase in EMT and inflammation can be pathologic. These tissue damages are often associated with adverse pregnancy complications such as preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (pPROM) and spontaneous preterm birth (PTB). Therefore, an understanding of the biomolecular processes that maintain cyclic EMT-MET is critical to reducing the risk of pPROM and PTB. Extracellular vesicles (exosomes of 40-160 nm) that can carry various cargo are involved in cellular transitions as paracrine mediators. Exosomes can carry a variety of biomolecules as cargo. Studies specifically using exosomes from cells undergone EMT can carry a pro-inflammatory cargo and in a paracrine fashion can modify the neighboring tissue environment to cause enhancement of uterine inflammation.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.439-447
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• 2022

Two strains, YP344 and YP579 were isolated from soil samples in Pocheon City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The strains YP344 and YP579 belong to the genus Vishniacozyma and Dioszegia, respectively. The molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain YP344 was closely related to Vishniacozyma peneaus. Strain YP344T differed by four nucleotide substitutions with no gap (0.70%) in the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rRNA gene and 16 nucleotide substitutions with 8 gaps (5.76%) in the ITS region. On the other hand, the strain YP579^T varied from the type strain of the most closely related species, Dioszegia zsoltii var. zsoltii, by 6 nucleotide substitutions with four gaps (1.64%) in the D1/D2 domain of LSU rRNA gene and 26 nucleotide substitutions with 14 gaps (8.16%) in the ITS region. Therefore, the name Vishniacozyma terrae sp. nov. and Dioszegia terrae sp. nov. are proposed, with type strains YP344T (KCTC27988^T) and YP579^T (KCTC 27998^T), respectively.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2023

Objectives This study aims to develop valid experimental models for depression through chronic reserpine exposure to zebrafish (Danio rerio). Methods The effect of chronic reserpine on zebrafish behavior in the novel tank was examined. Changes of gene expression on telencephalon were also investigated. Results Chronic reserpine (40 mg/L, 7 days) induced overt behavioral effects, but markedly reduced activity, resembling motor retardation in depression. In telencephalon of zebrafish, gene expression associated with monoamine oxidase and norepinephrine transporter was decreased. Expression of serotonin transporter gene was increased. Conclusions Our results show that the pharmacological model of depression in zebrafish can induce not only behavioral changes, but also monoamine changes in the homology of human mood regulation centers.