• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.75-91
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• 2010

Objectives : Although the controversy surrounding the biomechanics of the sacroiliac joint remains unresolved at this time, the clinical importance of this joint in the cause of back pain has been established since 1930's. Recently, there has been renewed interest in the sacroiliac joint. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of pulsed electromagnetic therapy(PEMT) with acupuncture therapy for patients, who were suffering from sacroiliac joint syndrome, and to conduct more researches in the usage of acupuncture therapy for treating sacroiliac joint syndrome. Methods : 25 patients, who were diagnosed as sacroiliac joint syndrome were selected. They were treated twice a week during 3 weeks. They were measured after all the treatment and firs week and fourth week after termination of treatment by using visual analogue scale(VAS) and Roland Morris disability index(RMDI). The VAS and RMDI patterns were analyzed by using 'pared T-test' and 'Kruskal-Wallis' test. Results : 1. Each times of PEMT with acupuncture therapy, there were statistical significance in improvement of VAS(p<0.05) and each times of therapy except 1st one, there were statistical significance in improvement of RMDI(p<0.05). 2. After 4th therapy, there were most significant improvement of VAS with RMDI(p<0.001), when we compared the change in VAS and RMDI before and after the each therapy. 3. There was no statistical significance in VAS and RMDI by onset, sex and age. Conclusions : The results indicate that pulsed electromagnetic therapy and acupuncture therapy had good effect on sacroiliac joint syndrome.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.61-66
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• 2007

A gain enhancement rail-to-rail buffer amplifier for liquid crystal display (LCD) source driver is proposed. An op-amp with extremely high gain is needed to decrease the offset voltage of the buffer amplifier. Cascoded floating current source and class-AB control block in the op-amp achieve a high voltage gain by reducing the channel length modulation effect in high voltage technologies. HSPICE simulation in $1\;{\mu}V$ 15 V CMOS process demonstrates that voltage gain is increased by 30 dB. The offset voltage is improved from 6.84 mV to $400\;{\mu}V$. Proposed op-amp is fabricated in an LCD source driver IC and overall system offset voltage is decreased by 2 mV.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.93-96
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• 2011

We present a recordings of 37-year-old woman with simultaneous ictal scalp and subdural electrodes. The ictal rhythm on subdural electrocorticography (ECoG) started earlier (median 24.5 sec) and ended later (median 2.0 sec) compared to ictal rhythm on scalp EEG. Eight ictal ECoG recordings were well localized to left temporal area, whereas ictal scalp EEG recordings were not. Our case shows the obvious timing relations between two recordings, and different electrophysiologic information about localization of ictal onset zone.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2014

This paper presents a dynamic crack propagation algorithm based on the Moving Least Squares(MLS) difference method. The derivative approximation for the MLS difference method is derived by Taylor expansion and moving least squares procedure. The method can analyze dynamic crack problems using only node model, which is completely free from the constraint of grid or mesh structure. The dynamic equilibrium equation is integrated by the Newmark method. When a crack propagates, the MLS difference method does not need the reconstruction of mode model at every time step, instead, partial revision of nodal arrangement near the new crack tip is carried out. A crack is modeled by the visibility criterion and dynamic energy release rate is evaluated to decide the onset of crack growth together with the corresponding growth angle. Mode I and mixed mode crack propagation problems are numerically simulated and the accuracy and stability of the proposed algorithm are successfully verified through the comparison with the analytical solutions and the Element-Free Galerkin method results.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.267-273
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• 2020

Background: Continuous exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat stress. This stress response alters the expression of multiple genes and can contribute to the onset of various diseases. In particular, heat stress induces oxidative stress by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species. The liver is an essential organ that plays a variety of roles, such as detoxification and protein synthesis. Therefore, it is important to protect the liver from oxidative stress caused by heat stress. Korean ginseng has a variety of beneficial biological properties, and our previous studies showed that it provides an effective defense against heat stress. Methods: We investigated the ability of Korean Red Ginseng and Korean black ginseng extracts (JP5 and BG1) to protect against heat stress using a rat model. We then confirmed the active ingredients and mechanism of action using a cell-based model. Results: Heat stress significantly increased gene and protein expression of oxidative stress-related factors such as catalase and SOD2, but treatment with JP5 (Korean Red Ginseng extract) and BG1 (Korean black ginseng extract) abolished this response in both liver tissue and HepG2 cells. In addition, JP5 and BG1 inhibited the expression of inflammatory proteins such as p-NF-κB and tumor necrosis factor alpha-α. In particular, JP5 and BG1 decreased the expression of components of the NLRP3 inflammasome, a key inflammatory signaling factor. Thus, JP5 and BG1 inhibited both oxidative stress and inflammation. Conclusions: JP5 and BG1 protect against oxidative stress and inflammation induced by heat stress and help maintain liver function by preventing liver damage.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.487-492
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• 2003

This study investigated the effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) on the sensitivity of seizure response to bicuculline, picrotoxin and NMDA in mice. The mice were exposed to either a sham or 20 G ELF-MFs for 24 hours. Convulsants were then administered i.p. at various doses. The seizure induction time and duration were measured and lethal dose ($LD_{50$}) and convulsant dose ($CD_{50}$) of the clonic and tonic convulsion were calculated. The analysis of glutamate, glycine, taurine and GABA of mouse brain was accomplished by HPLC. The mice exposed to ELF-MFs showed moderately higher $CD_{50}.{\;}LD_{50}$ and onset time on the bicuculline-induced seizure. However, the ELF-MFs did not influence them in the NMDA and picrotoxin-induced seizures. After the exposure to MFs exposure, the glutamate level was increased and GABA was decreased significantly in NMDA and picrotoxin-induced seizure. The level of glutamate and GABA were not changed by MFs in bicuculline-induced seizure. These results suggest that ELF-MFs may alter the convulsion susceptibility through GABAergic mechanism with the involvement of the level of glutamate and GABA.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2018

Cancer preventive activities of green tea and its main constituent, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have been extensively studied by scientists all over the world. Since 1983, we have studied the cancer chemopreventive effects of EGCG as well as green tea extract and underlying molecular mechanisms. The first part of this review summarizes groundbreaking topics with EGCG and green tea extract: 1) Delayed cancer onset as revealed by a 10-year prospective cohort study, 2) Prevention of colorectal adenoma recurrence by a double-blind randomized clinical phase II trial, 3) Inhibition of metastasis of B16 melanoma cells to the lungs of mice, 4) Increase in the average value of Young's moduli, i.e., cell stiffness, for human lung cancer cell lines and inhibition of cell motility and 5) Synergistic enhancement of anticancer activity against human cancer cell lines with the combination of EGCG and anticancer compounds. In the second part, we became interested in cancer stem cells (CSCs). 1) Cancer stem cells in mouse skin carcinogenesis by way of introduction, after which we discuss two subjects from our review on human CSCs reported by other investigators gathered from a search of PubMed, 2) Expression of stemness markers of human CSCs compared with their parental cells, and 3) EGCG decreases or increases the expression of mRNA and protein in human CSCs. On this point, EGCG inhibited self-renewal and expression of pluripotency-maintaining transcription factors in human CSCs. Human CSCs are thus a target for cancer prevention and treatment with EGCG and green tea catechins.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1655-1659
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate that which symptoms are adequate indicator of the deficiency of Eum pattern in the stroke patients. In the time period Dec. 2006 to Aug. 2007, 479 patients with a first-ever stroke admitted in the department of Internal Medicine of 12 Oriental Medical Hospitals were included. Patients were hospitalized within 1 months after the onset of stroke. Stroke patients had been interviewed by resident who studied standard operation procedures in Fundamental Study for Standardization and Objectification of Differentiation and Pattern Identification of Syndrome of Oriental Medicine for Stroke. Eum-deficiency patients was confirmed by medical specialist diagnosis, resident diagnosis, case report form analysis without a dissenting voice. Deficiency of Eum group included 65 case, Non Eum group 414 case out of 479 patients. dryness of mouth, short and rapid purse, white face and reddish zygoma, mirror-like tongue were higher among Eum group. Eum and Non Eum patients do not significantly differ in reddened tongue, dryness in tongue, night sweat, palpitation, afternoon tidal heat, palmar heat, sores of the mouth or tongue. This study was insufficiency because sample size is very small. More data from prospective cohort studies will help to Korean Standard Differentiation of the Symptoms and Signs for the Stroke.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.27-30
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• 2000

Reflex epilepsies are distinct but not clearly understood clinical entity. Various cerebral activities induced by simple stimulation including visual, auditory, somatosensory stimulation, as well as diverse functional tasks such as reading, calculation, complex thinking are believed to be seizure-inducing factors. We experienced two patients whose seizures were readily precipitated by complex, strenuous thinking. Both patients was teen-aged boy at the onset of seizure(13, and 15 years of age each) with normal physical and mental growth. Although first seizure was precipitated by watching TV and playing puzzles in each patient, initial diagnosis was idiopathic generalized epilepsy, possibly juvenile myoclonic epilepsy( JME). For the first few years, seizures were infrequent but mostly precipitated by the tasks needs concentration such as playing computer games, decision-making, mathematics, reading, or during the examination. EEG revealed various thinking process including reading hard books, drawing complex figure, complex calculation induced epileptic discharges even if it usually needs certain period of concentration. Phenytoin, valproic acid, clonazepam, vigabatrin, and lamotrigine sometimes abated their seizures but none of these made them seizure-free. Complex reflex epilepsy induced by thinking was proposed to be a separate type of epilepsy or a variant of JME. Age, sex, stereotypic seizure-inducing factors, clinical course, and refractory epilepsies in these patients highly suggested this type of epilepsy as a variant of JME but its refractoriness and unique provocation still needs more speculation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2009

The tubby mouse is characterized by progressive retinal and cochlear degeneration and late-onset obesity. These phenotypes are caused by a loss-of-function mutation in the tub gene and are shared with several human syndromes, suggesting the importance of tubby protein in central nervous system (CNS) functioning. Although evidence suggests that tubby may act as a transcription factor mediating G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, any downstream gene regulated by tubby has yet to be identified. To explore potential target genes of tubby with region-specific transcription patterns in the brain, we performed a microarray analysis using the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus of tubby mice. We also validated the changes of gene expression level observed with the microarray analysis using real-time RT-PCR. We found that expression of erythroid differentiation factor 1 (Erdrl) and caspase 1 (Casp1) increased, while p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) and cholecystokinin 2 receptor (Cck2r) expression decreased in the cerebral cortex of tubby mice. In the hypothalamic region, Casp 1 was up-regulated and $\mu$-crystallin (CRYM) was down-regulated. Based on the reported functions of the differentially expressed genes, these individual or grouped genes may account for the phenotype of tubby mice. We discussed how altered expression of genes in tubby mice might be understood as the underlying mechanism behind tubby phenotypes.