• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2003

Background : Cyclosporin A(CsA) and tacrolimus(FK506) have been widely used as immunosuppressants. The effects of CsA, or FK506, on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway have been shown to vary according to the cell type. However, their effects on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway have not been reported in bronchial epithelial cells. In this study, the effects of CsA and FK506 on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway in bronchial epithelial cells, monocytes, lymphocytes and alveolar macrophages were evaluated. The relationship between their effects on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway and $I{\kappa}B$ kinase(IKK) activity was also investigated. Methods : BEAS-2B and A549 cells, pulmonary alveolar macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes were used. The cells were pre-treated with CsA, or FK506, for various time periods, followed by stimulation with TNF-${\alpha}$, LPS or IL-$1{\beta}$. The $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ expressions were assayed by Western blot analyses. The IKK activity was evaluated by an in vitro immune complex kinase assay, using GST-$I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ as the substrate. Results : Neither CsA nor FK506 affected the level of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ expression in any of the cell types used in this study. CsA pre-treatment inhibited the TNF ${\alpha}$-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation in bronchial epithelial cells. In contrast, the TNF ${\alpha}$-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation was not affected by FK506 pre-treatment. However, FK506 suppressed the cytokine-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation in the pulmonary alveolar macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes. The inhibitory effect of CsA, or FK506, on $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation was not related to IKK. Conclusions : CsA and FK506 suppressed the $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation in bronchial epithelial cells, monocytes, lymphocytes and alveolar macrophages, so this may not be mediated through IKK.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2007

Backgrounds: Although glucocorticoids are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents, they have limited effect on cysteinyl leukotriene biosynthesis. In addition, the response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and inhaled long-acting ${\beta}_2-agonists$ (LABA) combination therapy in moderate to severe persistent asthmatics varies. Additional therapy with leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) in patients with moderate to severe asthma suboptimally controlled with ICS and LABA combination therapy would be complementary to asthma control. Methods: One hundred and ninety eight asthmatics entered a 2 month, open-label descriptive study. Patients suffering from persistent asthma and suboptimally controlled on a combination therapy of fluticasone/salmeterol or budesonide/formoterol were given montelukast 10 mg daily as an add-on therapy. The level of asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) including $FEV_1%$ predicted at the baseline and after a 2-month treatment with montelukast. A global evaluation of the treatment was also made by the patients and physicians. Results: The mean ACQ score decreased significantly on montelukast ($11.5{\pm}5.4$ at baseline vs. $6.7{\pm}5.0$), with a significant improvement in all individual symptom scores (p<0.01). The $FEV_1%$ predicted values did not show any significant change. 59.9% of patients and 59.4% of physicians reported global improvement in their asthma (${\kappa}=0.85$). Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of montelukast in patients with persistent asthma that is suboptimally contolled by combination therapy of ICS and LABA might confer complementary effects on asthma control.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1209-1216
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water-soluble sulfated ${\beta}$-glucan (SBG) obtained from Ganoderma lucidum mycelia on the antihyperlipidemic and serum lipid levels in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet for two weeks to induce obesity. They were ten divided into five groups-normal control diet group (NC), high-fat control diet group (HC), high-fat diet and 200 mg/kg of SBG group (HC-HSBG), high-fat diet and 20 mg/kg of SBG group (HC-LSBG), and high-fat diet and 20 mg/kg of lovastatin group (HC-Lov)-and fed one of five diets for two more weeks. Although food intake and final body weight after four weeks of SBG consumption were similar in the five experimental groups, food efficiency ratio was higher in the high-fat diet groups(2, 3, 4, and 5) than in the NC group. In evaluating the hematological parameters of the rats, the neutrophil and monocyte ratios were higher in the HC-HSBG, HC-LSBG, and HC-Lov groups than in the HC group. Serum lipid profiles were analyzed after a 12 hr fast at the end of the study. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were significantly lower in the HC-HSBG and HC-LSBG groups than in the HC group. These results suggest that chemically engineered sulfated mushroom ${\beta}$-glucan (SBG) might contribute to lower cholesterol and lipid levels in blood.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.206-212
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• 2001

Objective : To determine the clinical and bacteriologic efficacy and safety of Cefprozil in acute pharyngitis and pharyngotonsilitis caused by Group A beta hemolytic streptococci in pediatric patients. Methods : Any patient of 3 to 14 age who visited the hospitals enrolled in this study with the signs and symptoms of pharyngitis or pharyngotonsilitis since July, 2000 to March, 2001, was taken throat culture and given Cefprozil(15 mg/kg/day, in two divided doses) for 10 days. 138 patients of whom showed positive culture results were followed up for the signs and symptoms during the treatment to determine clinical efficacy. Any undesirable effect was reported to determine the safety of the drug. Follow up cultures were done at the end of the study and bacteriologic efficacy was determined. Results : 138 of 256 patients who visited the hospitals with the signs and symptoms of pharyngitis or pharyngotonsilitis showed positive growth on throat culture. Mean age of the patients was $6.1{\pm}2.5$ and males and females were equally numbered. 129 of them complained fever on the first visit and 112(86.6%) of them were improved at the end of the study. Cervical lymphadenitis was seen in 58 patients and 44(75.9%) of them improved at the end of the study. Exudative pharyngitis was seen in 96 patients and 81(84.3%) of them improved. The overall clinical effcacy based on this results showed that 110(79.7%) of the patients were cured and 17(12.3%) of them improved. On the cultures and bacteriologic efficacy, 24.6% of them showed documented eradication after treatment and 62.3% of them showed presumptive eradication. Sensitivity test was done by agar dilution method and Cefprozil showed 100% sensitivity. Erythromycin, Clarithromycin and azithromycin showed 87%, 85.6 %, 90.6% sensitivity, respectively. Conclusion : Cefprozil is proved to be effective in controlling group A streptococcal pharyngitis and pharyngotonsilitis in children and showed good sensitivity. Cefprozil can be used as an effective oral cephalosporin in the patients showing penicillin hypersensitivity or patients who other drugs have failed.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.276-283
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• 2015

Purpose: We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of repeated high dose 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Between 1998 and 2011, 45 patients received hepatic re-irradiation with high dose 3D-CRT in Samsung Medical Center. After excluding two ineligible patients, 43 patients were retrospectively reviewed. RT was delivered with palliative or salvage intent, and equivalent dose of 2 Gy fractions for ${\alpha}/{\beta}=10Gy$ ranged from $31.25Gy_{10}$ to $93.75Gy_{10}$ (median, $44Gy_{10}$). Tumor response and toxicity were evaluated based on the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria and the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) ver. 4.0. Results: The median follow-up duration was 11.2 months (range, 4.1 to 58.3 months). An objective tumor response rate was 62.8%. The tumor response rates were 81.0% and 45.5% in patients receiving ${\geq}45Gy_{10}$ and $<45Gy_{10}$, respectively (p = 0.016). The median overall survival (OS) of all patients was 11.2 months. The OS was significantly affected by the Child-Pugh class as 14.2 months vs. 6.1 months (Child-Pugh A vs. B, p < 0.001), and modified Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) T stage as 15.6 months vs. 8.3 months (T1-3 vs. T4, p = 0.004), respectively. Grade III toxicities were developed in two patients, both of whom received ${\geq}50Gy_{10}$. Conclusion: Hepatic re-irradiation may be an effective and tolerable treatment for patients who are not eligible for further local treatment modalities, especially in patients with Child-Pugh A and T1-3.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2010

This study was carried out to determine the chemical quality properties during processing treatment using the brown rice varieties with different amylose content. It was investigated using Hwaseonchalbyeo, Baegjinjubyeo, Ilpumbyeo and Goamibyeo varieties. As for the chemical properties of fried brown rice, phenolic compounds increased by the frying treatment. The component of aroma after the frying treatment, it showed that aldehydes sorts of benzaldehyde, phenylmethanal had the highest content. The content of vitamin B group during parboiling treatment and frying treatment decreased as a whole than the non-treatment brown rice. The higher the content of amylose was, the more the content of vitamin $B_2$ increased. The higher the content of amylose was, the more the content of vitamin $B_6$ and mineral contents decreased. The component of mineral during frying treatment, it showed that Mg had the highest content. The higher the content of amylose increased, the more the blue value increased. The 2,2-diphenyl-$\beta$-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) after the frying treatment was relatively increased.

• Atmosphere
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.359-370
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• 2017

In this study, the oceanic Total Precipitable Water (TPW) retrieval algorithm at 16 km altitude of High Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (HALE UAV) is described. Empirical equation based on Wentz method (1995) that uses the 18.7 and 22.235 GHz channels is developed using the simulated brightness temperature and SeeBor training dataset. To do radiative simulation, Satellite Data Simulator Unit (SDSU) Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) is used. The data of 60% (523) and 40% (349) in the SeeBor training dataset are used to develop and validate the TPW retrieval algorithm, respectively. The range of coefficients for the TPW retrieval at the altitude of 3~18 km with 3 km interval were 153.69~199.87 (${\alpha}$), 54.330~58.468 (${\beta}$), and 84.519~93.484 (${\gamma}$). The bias and RMSE at each altitude were found to be about $-0.81kg\;m^{-2}$ and $2.17kg\;m^{-2}$, respectively. Correlation coefficients were more than 0.9. Radiosonde observation has been generally operated over land. To validate the accuracy of the oceanic TPW retrieval algorithm, observation data from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) Gisang 1 research vessel about six clear sky cases representing spring, autumn, and summer season is used. Difference between retrieved and observed TPW at 16 km altitude were in the range of $0.53{\sim}1.87kg\;m^{-2}$, which is reasonable for most applications. Difference in TPW between retrieval and observation at each altitude (3~15 km) is also presented. Differences of TPW at altitudes more than 6 km were $0.3{\sim}1.9kg\;m^{-2}$. Retrieved TPW at 3 km altitude was smaller than upper level with a difference of $-0.25{\sim}0.75kg\;m^{-2}$ compared to the observed TPW.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.161-168
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• 2007

Salicornia herbacea L. (Chenopodiaceae: S. herbacea) is a salt marsh plant, which has long been prescribed in traditional medicines for the treatment of intestinal ailments, nephropathy, and hepatitis in Oriental countries. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of this herb, we conducted an anti-oxidative activity, the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production, and the suppression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, with the solvent-extracts of S. herbacea. We found that both ethyl acetate and n-butanol tractions showed potent anti-oxidative effects in comparison to other fractions using xanthine oxidase assay with $IC_{50}$ values of $66.0{\pm}0.5\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $82.5{\pm}3.8\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In addition, both ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions showed more electron donating activity (EDA) than other tractions, according to DPPH (2, 2-Diphenyl-lpicrylhydrazyl radical) assay. The EDA of ethyl acetate fraction ($IC_{50}$ values of $117.5{\pm}3.8\;{\mu}g/ml$) is more significant than that of n-butanol fraction ($IC_{50}$ values of $375.0{\pm}12.5\;{\mu}g/ml$). Among potential anti-oxidative tractions, ethyl acetate traction dose-dependently suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS, $0.1\;{\mu}g/ml$)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cell, while n-butanol did not. As expected, ethyl acetate fraction suppressed the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in RAW264.7 cell stimulated by $0.1\;{\mu}g/ml$ of LPS. Moreover, the ethyl acetate traction suppressed the expression of interleukin-1 $(IL)-1{\beta}$ and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mRNA in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Therefore, these results suggest that S. herbacea may have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities by modulating radical-induced toxicity and various pro-inflammatory responses.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.208-215
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• 2018

The causes of column shrinkage and the codes that have been studied up to now are discussed. The documents mentioned in the code deal with the drying shrinkage, creep, compressive strength and elastic modulus of the specimen, and the elastic deformation calculated from the structural analysis. However, the deformation due to the temperature caused by the long term monitoring is less than that caused by the factors generated by the previous studies. In the previous studies, it was found that dehydration shrinkage, creep, and elastic deformation were not considered for temperature-induced deformation, while for the specimen experiments, the temperature-related items were replaced with the humidity-related terms The compensation value by the proposed equation showed error of 4.9 mm in the upper direction and 1.0mm in the lower direction when calculating column shortening, and it was found that its value by the proposed equation almost coincided with the measurement value in Site. Therefore, it is necessary to further study the temperature that can be omitted in calculating the existing column shortening, to consider the influence factors, and to supplement the criteria for the temperature measurement of the structure as well as the specimen tests.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.154-158
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• 2007

In order to increase the content of germanium in ginseng adventitious roots, the effects of chelating agents on germanium content and root growth were investigated in the submerged cultures of ginseng adventitious roots. Chelating agents such as citric acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, EDTA (Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) or EGTA (Ethylene glycol-bis $({\beta}-aminoethylether)-tetraacetic$ acid) were administrated in the submerged culture of ginseng root containing 50 ppm $GeO_2$. After 6 weeks of cultivation, fresh weight, germanium and saponin contents in the roots were analyzed. Among chelating agents, addition of 1.0mM phosphoric acid was found to be best for germanium accumulation. Under this condition, germanium content increased 1.4 times as compared to that of the control. The germanium content in the adventitious roots also increased with addition of EDTA or EGTA, while they inhibited the growth of ginseng adventitious root. Citric and oxalic acids were not effective for increasing germanium content in adventitious roots. As the results, it suggests that the phosphoric acid can be proved as the optimal agent for the enhancement of germanium accumulation in ginseng adventitious roots. These results can be served as a guideline for the mass production of ginseng adventitious roots containing germanium by large-scale production.