• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2018

Cellular cyclic adenosine-3' 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) modulator is known as meiotic inhibitor and can delays spontaneous maturation in IVM experiment. Among many cAMP modulators, the role of Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) on IVM isn't known. The purpose of this study is to improve the maturation of oocytes derived from follicles ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter through PACAP as meiotic inhibitor during pre-in vitro maturation (pre-IVM). First, we checked PACAP and its receptors in cumulus cells and, to establish the optimal phase and concentration of PACAP for pre-IVM, we conducted chromatin configuration assessments. As a result, the rate of GV (Germinal Vesicle) according to duration of pre-IVM was significantly decreased 12 h and 18 h after IVM (87.1 and 84.1%, respectively) compared to 0 h (99.4%). When COC was cultured for 18 h, the GV rate in the $1{\mu}M$ of PACAP treatment group (82.1%) was significantly higher than any other PACAP treatment groups (60.5, 64.1, 74.4 and 69.9 %, respectively). So, we divided into four groups as follows; MF (the conventional IVM group, obtained from follicle from 3 to 6 mm in diameter), SF (the conventional IVM group, obtained from follicle ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter), Pre-SF(-)PACAP (IVM group including 18 h pre-IVM without $1{\mu}M$ of PACAP, obtained from follicle ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter) and Pre-SF(+)PACAP (IVM group including 18 h pre-IVM with $1{\mu}M$ of PACAP, obtained from follicle ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter). To examine the effect of PACAP during pre-IVM, we investigated analysis of nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. In cumulus cells, PACAP receptors, ADCYAP1R1 and VIPR1 were detected but were not detected in oocytes. After IVM, the Pre-SF(+)PACAP had the highest Metaphase II rate (91.7%) among all groups (P<0.05). The GSH levels in the MF and Pre-SF(+)PACAP were significantly higher than in the other groups (P<0.05) and ROS levels was no significant difference among all groups. In conclusion, these results indicated that even though the oocytes were derived from SF, pre-IVM application of PACAP improved meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation by regulating intracellular oxidative stress.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2006

Objectives : We wanted to evaluate the economic value of a pharmaceutical product, Kremezin, for treating patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) by estimating the amount of cost savings due to its effect for delaying the initiation of dialysis treatments. Methods : We defined a conventional treatment for CRF accompanied by Kremezin therapy as 'the treatment group' and only conventional treatment as 'the alternative group.' The types of costs included were direct medical and nonmedical costs and costs of productivity loss. The information on the effect of Kremezin was obtained from the results of earlier clinical studies. Cost information was derived from the administrative data for 20 hemodialysis and 20 peritoneal dialysis patients from one tertiary care hospital, and also from the administrative data of 10 hemodialysis patients from one free-standing dialysis center. Per-capita cost savings resulting from Kremezin therapy were separately estimated for the cases with delay for the onset of hemodialysis and the cases with immediate performance of peritoneal dialysis. By computing the weighted average for the cases of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, the expected per-capita cost savings of a patient with CRF was obtained. Using a discount rate of 5%, future cost savings were converted to the present value. Results : The present value of cumulative cost savings per patient with CRF from the societal perspective would be $18,555,000{\sim}29,410,000$ Won or $72,104,000{\sim}112,523,000$ Won if Kremezin delays the initiation of dialysis by 1 or 4 years. Conclusions : The estimated amount of cost savings resulting from treating CRF patients with Kremezin confirms that its effect for delaying the onset of dialysis treatments has a considerable economic value.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.624-635
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• 2018

Objective: This study examined whether emergency department (ED) crowding influences the timing of the initial assessment and treatment in severe trauma patients, as well as their mortality rates. Methods: This retrospective, observational study was conducted between January 2015 and October 2016, and included adult severe trauma patients who presented to the ED. The emergency department occupancy rate (EDOR) was used to measure ED crowding. The patients were divided into four groups using the EDOR quartile. The timeliness of the initial assessment and treatment in the four groups as well as the mortality rates were compared. Results: This study investigated 307 patients. The timing of the first computed tomography (CT) and laboratory test order, CT and laboratory test result acquisition, first transfusion, and patient transfer from the ED to the operating room were similar in the four groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis did not show a significant difference in mortality between the groups. Conclusion: ED crowding was not associated with delays in the initial assessment and treatment of severe trauma patients, or in their mortality rates.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.519-527
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• 2017

Excessive activation of microglia causes the continuous production of neurotoxic mediators, which further causes neuron degeneration. Therefore, inhibition of microglial activation is a possible target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Balanophonin, a natural neolignoid from Firmiana simplex, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects and mechanism of balanophonin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia cells. BV2 microglia cells were stimulated with LPS in the presence or absence of balanophonin. The results indicated that balanophonin reduced not only the LPS-mediated TLR4 activation but also the production of inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), $Interleukin-1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$), and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), in BV2 cells. Balanophonin also inhibited LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) protein expression and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK. Interestingly, it also inhibited neuronal cell death resulting from LPS-activated microglia by regulating cleaved caspase-3 and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage in N2a cells. In conclusion, our data indicated that balanophonin may delay the progression of neuronal cell death by inhibiting microglial activation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.63-72
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• 2008

Signalized intersections are operated without a signal preemption control strategy in Korea, thus there is no priority treatment for an emergency vehicle passing through the intersections. In this paper, a signal preemption control strategy is introduced to improve the safety and operational efficiency of an emergency vehicle. Using the micro simulation tool, the effects on delay and travel speed of the signal preemption control strategy are analyzed for various traffic conditions to identify the general performance trends. Then, another simulation analysis is performed to verify the feasibility of the control strategy using real network data collected from field study. Results show that the preemption control strategy provides the positive impact on emergency vehicles' operation, but the positive impact is reduced as the v/c ratios increase. As expected, the average delays of the normal vehicles are slightly increased, but the magnitude is not significant. Therefore, it is expected that the introduction of the preemption control strategy in Korea would produce the positive social benefits.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.50-57
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between delays in initiation and termination of tibialis anterior contraction through surface electromyographic (sEMG) analysis in adults with hemiplegia and healthy subjects and clinical assessment of lower-limb mobility. EMG activity of 6 long-term survivors of stroke and 5 healthy subjects was recorded during maximal isometric ankle dorsiflexion in 3 seconds beeper signals. It must be done as fast and forcefully as possible. Lower limb mobility was assessed with Modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile (mEFAP). Delay in initiation and termination of muscle contraction was significantly prolonged in the affected lower limb relative to the unaffected limb. Termination of muscle contraction in the hemiplegic lower limb was significantly delayed than the initiation on the affected sides. Delay in initiation and termination of muscle contraction correlated significantly with a few range of mEFAP. Abnormally delayed initiation and termination of muscle contraction may contribute to hemiparetic lower limb mobility in hemiparetic patients. Consequently, this study showed that abnormal delay of initiation and termination of muscle contraction may contribute to hemiparetic lower limb mobility in adults with hemiplegia. Further studies are needed to demonstrate a treatment effect.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.105-117
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• 2020

Abiotic stress is one of the most serious problems in plant productivity because it dramatically delays plant growth and development. One of the abiotic stresses, soil salinity, has an adverse effect on plant growth, particularly in areas where irrigation is necessary like semiarid Asia and Africa. Among several physiological parameters, anthocyanin accumulation is a valuable indicator of the condition of the plant, and it tends to increase under salt stress conditions because of its protective role in such an environment. Consequently, it may be important to search for well adapted genotypes for upcoming climate changes. Anthocyanins are known to have important roles in defense against biotic and abiotic stresses, providing important functions for protecting plant cells from reactive oxygen species. In this study, we investigated the anthocyanin accumulation between two Korean sorghum genotypes, Sodamchal and Nampungchal. The two genotypes were subjected to a regulated salinity condition, and the anthocyanin contents were evaluated in both. In Nampungchal, the anthocyanin content increased with 150 mM NaCl treatment during the time course of the experiment. However, the anthocyanin content of Sodamchal decreased in the same condition. The measured values of the anthocyanin content should be useful to identify the intensity of the salt tolerance in Sorghum bicolor L. Furthermore, we studied gene expression profiling of salt stress related genes with qRT-PCR. These results suggest that Nampungchal is a more tolerant genotype to salt stress compared to Sodamchal. This information should be useful for breeding salt-resistant cultivars in sorghum.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3213-3218
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• 2012

When patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC) are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), efficacy is monitored by the extent of tumor shrinkage. Since their publication in 1981, World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines have been widely practiced in clinical trials and oncologic practice, for standardized tumor response evaluation. With advances in cancer treatment and tumor imaging, a simpler criterion based on one-dimensional rather than bi-dimensional (WHO) tumor measurement, named Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) was introduced in 2000. Both approaches have four response categories: complete response, partial response, stable disease and progressive disease (PD). Bi-dimensional measurement data of 151 patients with ABC were analysed with WHO and RECIST criteria to compare their response categories and inter criteria reproducibility by Kappa statistics. There was 94% concordance and 9/151 patients were recategorized with RECIST including 6/12 PD cases. RECIST therefore under-estimates and delays diagnosis of PD. This is undesirable because it may delay or negate switch over to alternate therapy. Analysis was repeated with a new criteria named RECIST-Breast (RECIST-B), with a lower threshold for PD (${\geq}10%$ rather than ${\geq}20%$ increase of RECIST). This showed higher concordance of 97% with WHO criteria and re-categorization of only 4/151 patients (1/12 PD cases). RECIST-B criteria therefore have advantages of both ease of measurement and calculations combined with excellent concordance with WHO criteria, providing a practical clinical tool for response evaluation and offering good comparison with past and current clinical trials of NACT using WHO guidelines.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.418-427
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• 2006

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are ligand-gated nonselective cation channels that mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission. Although homologues of the iGluRs have been identified in higher plants, their roles are largely unknown. In this work we isolated a full-length cDNA clone (RsGluR) encoding a putative glutamate receptor from small radish. An RsGluR:mGFP fusion protein was localized to the plasma membrane. In Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing the fulllength cDNA, glutamate treatment triggered greater $Ca^{2+}$ influx in the root cells of transgenic seedlings than in those of the wild type. Transgenic plants exhibited multiple morphological changes such as necrosis at their tips and the margins of developing leaves, dwarf stature with multiple secondary inflorescences, and retarded growth, as previously observed in transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing AtGluR3.2 [Kim et al. (2001)]. Microarray analysis showed that jasmonic acid (JA)-responsive genes including defensins and JA-biosynthetic genes were up-regulated. RsGluR overexpression also inhibited growth of a necrotic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea possibly due to up-regulation of the defensins. Based on these results, we suggest that RsGluR is a glutamate-gated $Ca^{2+}$ channel located in the plasma membrane of higher plants and plays a direct or indirect role in defense against pathogen infection by triggering JA biosynthesis.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.37-37
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• 1996

The internal regions of nuclear small subunit rRNA from 6 plaeurotus species and 5 Pleurotus ostreatus strains were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The DNA sequences of 8 Pleurotus strains (P. ostreatus NFFA2, NFFA4501, NFFA4001, KFFA4001, KFCC11635, P florida, P. florida, P. sajor-cuju, P. pulmonarius, and P. spodoleucus) were idential, but P. cornucopiae differed from them in two bases out of 605 bases. However, p[hylogenetic analysis of the sequences by DNA-distance matrix and UPGMA methods showed that P. ostreatus NFFA2m1 and NFFA2m2, known as mutants of P. ostreatus NFFA2, belonged to anther group of Basidiomycotina, which is close to the genus Auricularia. The difference of the SSU rDNA sequences of P. cornucopiae from other Pleurotus species tested corresponds to the difference of mitochondrial plasmid type present in Pleurotus species as observed by Kim et al. (1993, Korean J. Microbiol. 31, 141-147).ishement of silencing at the HMR/hsp82 locus can occur in G1-arrested cells. Cell cycle arrest at G1 phase was achieved by treatment of early log a cell cultures with .alpha.-factor mating pheromone, which induces G1 arrest. The result suggests that passage through S phase (and therefore DNA replication) is nor required for re-establishing silencer-mediated repression at the HMNRa/HSP82 locus. Finally, to test whether de nono protein synthesis is required for re-establishment of silencer-mediated repression, cells were pretreated with cycloheximide (500 /.mu.g/ml) 120 min. It was apparent that inhibiting protein synthesis delays, but does not prevent, re-establishment of silencer-mediated repression. Altogether, these results indicate that re-establishment of silencer-mediated repression is not dependent on the DNA replication and has no requirement for protein synthesis.