• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2014

We have previously described a new multilayer alginate microcapsule system, and the goals of the present study were to assess the in vitro function of islets encapsulated in its inner layer, and the angiogenic ability of FGF-1 delivered from the external layer in an omentum pouch. Following isolation and culture, islets were encapsulated in the inner core of microspheres ($500-600{\mu}m$ in diameter) with a semi-permeable poly-L-ornithine (PLO) membrane separating two alginate layers, and both unencapsulated and encapsulated islet function was assessed by a dynamic glucose perifusion. For angiogenesis experiments, one group of microcapsules without FGF-1 (control) and another (test) containing FGF-1 with heparin encapsulated in the external layer were made. One hundred microcapsules of each group were transplanted in Lewis rats (n = 5/group) and were retrieved after 14 days for assessment of angiogenesis. Glucose perifusion of unencapsulated and encapsulated islets resulted in similar stimulation indices. The release of FGF-1 resulted in increased vascular density compared to controls. In conclusion, islets encapsulated in the core of multilayer alginate microcapsules maintain functionality and the microcapsule's external layer is effective in delivery of FGF-1 to enhance graft neovascularization in a retrievable omentum pouch.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.177-186
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• 2018

Purpose: Increasing number of older adults are receiving cancer surgeries especially for gastrointestinal cancers, which brings forth attention to age-related postoperative complication prevention. Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication that rises after surgical procedures involving general anesthesia, largely in the elderly population. Due to its sudden onset and fluctuating symptoms, POD often goes underdiagnosed and undertreated even though it may lead to various adverse outcomes. POD in GI cancer surgical elderly patients is poorly understood in terms of prevalence, pathophysiology, assessment, treatment and nursing management. We aimed to identify available literature and investigate study results to broaden our understanding of geriatric GI cancer POD. Methods: The search process involved six databases to identify relevant studies abided by inclusion criteria. Results: Eleven studies were selected for this review. Geriatric POD is closely related to frailty and surgical complications. Frailty increases vulnerability to surgical stress and causes cerebral changes that affect stress-regulating neurotransmitter proportions, brain blood flow, vascular density, neuron cell life and intracellular signal transductions. These conditions of frailty result in increased risks of surgical complications such as blood loss, cardiovascular events and inflammation, which all may lead to the POD. Mini Metal State Examination (MMSE), Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and Delirium Rating Scale-revised-98 (DRS-R-98) are recommended for POD assessment to identify high-risk patients. Conclusion: The POD prevalence ranged from 8.2% to 51.0%. The multifactorial causative mechanism suggests nurses to identify highrisk elderly GI-cancer surgical patients by reviewing patient-specific factors and surgery-specific factors.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.179-184
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• 2002

We investigated the morphological changes and TUNEL reaction of apoptotic cells in the liver of D-galactosamine (20 mg/mouse) and lipopolysaccharide (5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mouse)-treated 30 mice (BALB/c), and in additioa also of apoptotic cells in kidney and spleen. The livers and other some organs of mice at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hrs after treatment were collected and were fixed with 10% neutral formalin and paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin or terminal deoxynucleotidly transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Morphological changes in apoptotic hepatocytes were chondensation of nuclei and density of cytoplasms, then the margination and pyknosis of chromatin, the formation of half-moon- or horse-shoe- or ship-like shapes of condensed chromatin mass, lastly formation of apoptotic bodies, disappearance of nuclear envelopes, decrease of stainability, then lysis and disappearance of apoptotic bodies. TUNEL positive reactions of hepatocytes were appeared first moderate in uncondensed hepatocytes, severe in condensed hepatocytes, moderate in chromatin-marginated hepatocytes. These reactions also were appeared moderate in hepatocytes with half-moon- or horse-shoe- or ship-like pyknotic chromatin mass or apoptotic bodies, and mild or negative in hepatocytes with lysed apoptotic bodies or with disappeared nuclear envelopes. Consequently these results suggested that TUNEL positive reactions of hepatocytes appeared at more early stages than appearance of chromatin condensation and disappeared at more early stage than disappearance of histological findings of apoptosis. We also confirmed that the differentiation of apoptotic cells from normal healthy cells of Kupffer cells and vascular endothelial cells in liver, reticular cells and lymphocytes in spleen and epithelial cells of tubules and ducts in kidney was impossible in H-E preparations but was possible in TUNEL preparations.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.71-82
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• 2013

Arterial stiffness(AS) is an important pathologic state of vascular injury. This study was carried out to elucidate the effect of physiological variables on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(BAPWV), index of AS. Four hundred adults(volunteers) participated in this study. Body indices, biochemical, cardiac and inflammatory markers, and right(Rt)- and left(Lt)-BAPWV were measured. Body mass index(BMI), Rt- and Lt-BAPWV, glucose, triglyceride, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT), creatinine, uric acid, troponin-I(TNI), NT-proBNP and high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) levels were higher than the reference value of each variable. Rt- and Lt-BAPWV were directly correlated with age, body weight, BMI, glucose, ketone, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, ALP, GGT, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), apolipoprotein-B, blood urea nitrogen, heart rate, TNI, creatine kinase, CK-MB, lactic dehydrogenase, myoglobin, hs-CRP, lipase, reumatoid factor, fibrinogen and D-dimer (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001 or P<0.000, respectively), but inversely associated with total bilirubin, uric acid, apolipoprotein-A1 and GFR (P<0.05). These observations suggest that a variety of physiological variables may influence BAPWV, resulting in increased risk or prevention of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular attacks. Therefore, physiological variables affecting BAPWV should be regularly controlled.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2002

Objective : Bangpungtongseongsan(BTS) has been used in oriental medicine for many centuries as a prescription for a heat syndrome of apoplexy. The effects of BTS on the vascular system are not well known. This study is designed to identify the effects of BTS on the regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF), arterial blood pressure and action mechanism in mice. Methods : We measured the change of rCBF and BP by BTS. Secondly, we investigated changes of rCBF and BP for 30 minutes interval after venous inject 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0mg/kg each density BTS infusion into mice, which were premanaged with methylene blue(10mg/kg, i.v), indomethacin(3mg/kg, i.v.), propranolo(3mg/kg, i.v.) for 30minutes. Results : rCBF increased significantly by BTS in a dose-dependent and BP was not affected by BTS in mice. Pretreatment with methylene blue significantly inhibited rCBF increased by BTS and aceelrated BP not affected by BTS. Pretreatment with indomethacin significantly inhibited rCBF increased by BTS and inhibited BP not affected by BTS. Conclusion : These results show that BTS causes the increasement of rCBF and non-change of BP. The action mechanism is related to prostaglandid activated by cyclooxygenase.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2004

We investigated the anatomical aspects of vitrification in peace poplar. Comparisons were made with regard to characteristics occurring between hyperhydric and normal shoots in shoot proliferation cultures on MS medium containing 0.2 mg/L BA. Compared with normal plants, hyperhydric plants had thick, curled, and dark green leaves. Hyperhydric stems were thicker and shorter than those of normal stems. When examined under the microscopes, the mesophyll palisade cells of hyperhydric leaves were vacuolated, whereas those of normal leaves contained normal and enriched vacuole with cytoplasm. Generally, the hyperhydric leaves showed poorly developed palisade parenchyma, and revealed irregular and bigger sized intercellular structures in both palisade and spongy parenchyma as well as epidermis cells compare to those of normal leaves. In addition, the hyperhydric leaves had lower stomatal density and bigger sized cell. Vascular tissues of hyperhydic stems were less differentiated because of poorly lignified xylem tissue. The greatly expanded cortical cells and pith appeared to be the main cause of thick stems as compared with normal stems.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.458-463
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• 2009

Polyurethane (PU) is widely used as a cardiovascular biomaterial due to its good mechanical properties and hemocompatibility, but it is not adhesive to endothelial cells (ECs). Cell adhesive peptides, GRGDS and YIGSR, were found to promote adhesion and spreading of ECs and showed a synergistic effect when both of them were used. In this study, a surface modification was designed to fabricate an EC-active PU surface capable of promoting endothelialization using the peptides and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) spacer, The modified PU surfaces were characterized in vitro. The density of the grafted PEG on the PU surface was measured by acid-base back titration to the terminal-free isocyanate groups. The successful immobilization of pep tides was confirmed by amino acid analysis, following hydrolysis, and contact angle measurement. The uniform distribution of peptides on the surface was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). To evaluate the EC adhesive property, cell viability test using human umbilical vein EC (HUVEC) was investigated in vitro and enhanced endothelialization was characterized by the introduction of cell adhesive peptides, GRGDS and YIGSR, and PEG spacer. Therefore, GRGDS and YIGSR co-immobilized PU surfaces can be applied to an EC-specific vascular graft with long-term patency by endothelialization.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2012

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are a population of cells that circulate in the blood stream. They play a role in angiogenesis and, therefore, can be prognostic markers of vascular repair. Ginsenoside $Rg_3$ prevents endothelial cell apoptosis through the inhibition of the mitochondrial caspase pathway. It also affects estrogen activity, which reduces EPC senescence. Sun ginseng (SG), which is heat-processed ginseng, has a high content of ginsenosides. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of SG on senescence-associated apoptosis in EPCs. In order to isolate EPCs, mononuclear cells of human blood buffy coats were cultured and characterized by their uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein (acLDL) and their binding of Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (ulex-lectin). Flow cytometry with annexin-V staining was performed in order to assess early and late apoptosis. Senescence was determined by ${\beta}$-galactosidase (${\beta}$-gal) staining. Staining with 4'-6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole verified that most adherent cells (93${\pm}$2.7%) were acLDL-positive and ulex-lectin-positive. The percentage of ${\beta}$-gal-positive EPCs was decreased from 93.8${\pm}$2.0% to 62.5${\pm}$3.6% by SG treatment. A fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis showed that 4.9% of EPCs were late apoptotic in controls. Sun ginseng decreased the apoptotic cell population by 39% in the late stage of apoptosis from control baseline levels. In conclusion, these results show antisenescent and antiapoptotic effects of SG in human-derived EPCs, indicating that SG can enhance EPC-mediated repair mechanisms.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2015

Overconsumption of fructose results in dyslipidemia, hypertension, which have documented as a risk of cardiovascular diseases. This experimental study was designed to investigate the beneficial effects of Rubus coreanus Miq.(RCM) in high-fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome. Animals were divided into three groups; Control group fed regular diet and tap water, fructose groups were fed the 65% high-fructose (HF) diet with/without RCM 100 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks, respectively. Chronic treatment with RCM significantly decreased body weight, fat weight and adipocyte size. Moreover, RCM significantly prevented the development of the metabolic disturbances such as hyperlipidemia and hypertension. RCM also led to increase in high density lipoprotein level in the HF group. In addition, RCM suppressed vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression and significantly recovered the levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in aorta. These results demonstrates that RCM may be a beneficial therapeutic for metabolic syndrome through the improvement of hyperlipidemia, obesity, and hypertension.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.143-155
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• 2016

Present work aims to establish the countermeasure for the better maintenance and preservation of insular floristic diversity at the South Sea of Jeollanamdo Province, ROK, where unique ecosystems are under threat due to climate change, anthropogenic disturbance and habitat destruction. Numerous flora reports from 15 inhabited islands and 60 uninhabited islands as well as field survey data are collated for the compilation of floristic data base and island biogeographical analysis. Out of the 1,940 vascular plant species from 180 families occurring in studies areas, 30.1 percentage or 584 plant species are physiognomically belonging to arboreal plants. Average number of species at individual island is numbered about 222 species, but it varies from about 591 species at the inhabited islands to 129 species at the uninhabited islands. Only 0.15 percentage of species with high proportion above 0.9 in its relative occurrence rate occurs at 68 islands and it includes three species, such as Pinus thunbergii, Eurya japonica and Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum. However, about 68 percentage of plant species occurring in study area is confined their distribution to less than seven islands. Presence of high proportion of notable plants in small islands, i.e., 10 critically endangered species compared with 5.5 species in average, 9 endangered species (average 4.2 spp.) at Sonjookdo, and 7 critically endangered species, 8 endangered species at Sokomundo may due to existence of diverse geological and topographical environmental diversity as well as lower human population density and remoteness from the mainland. Since island is small in size and geographically isolated, minor environmental and ecological burdens can cause the critical damages to the diversity of flora and vegetation, urgent island biogeographical research is needed for the scientific conservation and management of island biodiversity.