• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.50
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• pp.1-29
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• 2018

In the contemporary American cinematic landscape, there is a distinctive tendency to depict the disturbing ways in which characters with brain damages perceive, remember, and think about the world. Despite its attempts to examine the socio-political implications of these characters' subjectivities, the previous scholarship on this trend of film was limited in being either too pessimistically deterministic or too euphorically optimistic. Critically reading neuroscientific discourses on the brain-damaged subject from the perspective of Giorgio Agamben's critique of biopolitics, this paper explores how the contemporary American cinema of the impaired brain attempts to mediate the neurologically inexplicable affects of those subjects who are in the neurological state of exception and to express their experiences of a becoming-nonhuman. By closely reading Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan and Alejandro $Gonz{\acute{a}}lez$ $I{\tilde{n}}{\acute{a}}rritu^{\prime}s$ Birdman in this regard, I show how the two films, by employing different sets of cinematic free indirect techniques, express the neurologically impaired subject's affective experience of a becoming-nonhuman animal in different ways, and thereby to a more or less extent act as 'profaned' neuro-biopolitical apparatuses.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.846-853
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• 2019

Phytochemical compounds of Ligusticum striatum Makino are used as traditional medicinal herbs in Asia. These compounds are reported to have pain relief and antioxidant activities in gynecological and brain diseases. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effects of Ligusticum fermented ethanol extract from Lactobacillus plantarum BHN-LAB 129 isolated from Kimchi, a Korean traditional food. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents increased by about 116.2% and 281.0% respectively, in the fermented Ligusticum extract as compared with those in the nonfermented Ligusticum ethanol extract. Superoxide dismutase-like (SOD), DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, and reducing power activities increased by around 139.9%, 199.6%, 301.0%, and 137.1%, respectively, in the fermented Ligusticum ethanol extract as compared with these parameters in the nonfermented Ligusticum ethanol extract, respectively. In conclusion, the fermented Ligusticum ethanol extract with L. plantarum BHN-LAB 129 was effective in increasing the antioxidant effects. The bioconversion process in this study points to the potential of using Ligusticum to produce phytochemical-enriched natural antioxidant agents with high added value. The findings may prove useful in the development of improved foods and cosmetic materials.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.331-337
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• 2022

Raman spectroscopy is an optical technique that can identify molecules in a label-free manner, and is therefore heavily investigated in various areas ranging from biomedical engineering to materials science. Probe-based Raman spectroscopy can perform minimally invasive chemical analysis, and thus has potential as a real-time diagnostic tool during surgery. In this study, Raman experimentation was calibrated by examining the Raman shifts with respect to the concentrations of chemical substances. Raman signal characteristics, targeted for normal mice and cerebral tissues of the 5xFAD dementia mutant model with accumulated amyloid beta plaques, were measured and analyzed to explore the possibility of diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The application to the diagnosis of dementia was cross-validated by measuring Raman signals of amyloid beta. The results suggest the potential of Raman spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool that may be useful in various areas of application.

• Trans-
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• v.12
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• pp.21-49
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• 2022

This study examines the possibility of chronic brain disease rehabilitation treatment using VR/AR technology and raises the research need for the development of digital therapeutics. In addition, by proposing a digital therapeutic research and development process this study intends to contribute to the development of VR/AR rehabilitation treatment. To this end, this study identified research trends of VR/AR technology, neurophysiology, and chronic brain disease and proposed a method for applying VR/AR technology to treat chronic brain disease patients in three stages. The first stage is to prepare a neurophysiological basis for rehabilitation treatment of brain disease patients using VR technology. The second stage is to provide a treatment method using VR/AR technology and systematize the contents characteristics. The third stage is to conduct clinical trails and validate that the treatment method and contents utilization is effective for the patient. It is hope that this study serves as a guide for developing media production base technology for treating patient with a chronic brain disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2022

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been attracting significant attention in modern society, owing to the increased incidence rate of various diseases along with population growth. EDCs are found in many commercial products, including some plastic bottles and containers, detergents, liners of metal food cans, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides. EDCs have a hormonal effect on the human body, which disrupts the endocrine system, notably affecting sexual differentiation and normal reproduction, and can trigger cancer as well. Recently, the association between neurological diseases and EDCs has become a hot topic of research in the field of neuroscience. Considering that EDCs negatively affect not only neuronal proliferation and neurotransmission but also the formation of the neuronal networks, EDCs may induce neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as well as neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. In light of these potentially deleterious outcomes, important efforts have been underway to minimize the exposure to EDCs through appropriate regulations and policies around the world, but chemicals that have not yet been associated with endocrine disrupting properties are still in wide use. Therefore, more epidemiological investigations and research are needed to fully understand the effects of EDCs on the nervous system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.538-558
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• 2022

The perivascular space (PVS) of the brain, also known as Virchow-Robin space, consists of cerebrospinal fluid and connective tissues bordered by astrocyte endfeet. The PVS, in a word, is the route over the arterioles, capillaries, and venules where the substances can move. Although the PVS was identified and described first in the literature approximately over 150 years ago, its importance has been highlighted recently after the function of the waste clearing system of the interstitial fluid and wastes was revealed. The PVS is known to be a microscopic structure detected using T2-weighted brain MRI as dot-like hyperintensity lesions when enlarged. Although until recently regarded as normal with no clinical consequence and ignored in many circumstances, several studies have argued the association of an enlarged PVS with neurodegenerative or other diseases. Many questions and unknown facts about this structure still exist; we can only assume that the normal PVS functions are crucial in keeping the brain healthy. In this review, we covered the history, anatomy, pathophysiology, and MRI findings of the PVS; finally, we briefly touched upon the recent trials to better visualize the PVS by providing a glimpse of the brain fluid dynamics and clinical importance of the PVS.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2016

Adult-onset type II citrullinemia (CTLN2) is characterized by episodes of neurologic symptoms associated with hyperammonemia leading to disorientation, irritability, seizures, and coma. CTLN2 is distinct from classical citrullinemia, which is caused by a mutation of the argininosuccinic acid synthetase (ASS) gene. The serum citrulline level is elevated, while the activity of ASS in liver tissue is decreased. CTLN2 is known to have a poor prognosis if the proper treatment is not taken. We reported a female aged 37 years who developed recurrent attacks of altered consciousness, aberrant behavior, and vomiting. We initially suspected the patient had CTLN2 because of the signs of hyperammonemic encephalopathy, such as altered mentality, memory disturbance, and aberrant behaviors provoked by exercise-induced stress and excessive intravenous amino acid administration. Through her peculiar diet preferences and laboratory findings that included hyperammonemia and citrullinemia, we diagnosed the patient as CTLN2, and SLC25A13 sequencing revealed known compound heterozygous mutations (IVS11+1G>A, c.674C> A). Her parents were heterozygous carriers, and we identified that her older sister had the same mutations. The older sister had not experienced any episodes of hyperammonemia, but she had peculiar diet preferences. The patient and her sister have been well with conservative management. When considering the clinical course of CTLN2, it was meaningful that the older sister could be diagnosed early in an asymptomatic period and that preemptive treatment was employed. Through this case, CTLN2 should be considered in adults who present symptoms of hyperammonemic encephalopathy without a definite etiology. Because of its rare incidence and similar clinical features, CTLN2 is frequently misdiagnosed as hepatic encephalopathy, and it shows a poor prognosis due to the lack of early diagnosis and proper treatment. A high-carbohydrate diet, which is usually used to treat other urea cycle defects, can also exaggerate the clinical course of CTLN2, so proper metabolic screening tests and genetic studies should be performed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.824-831
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• 2009

Purpose : We aimed to investigate the efficacy of and functional recovery after intracerebral transplantation of different doses of mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) in immature rat brain with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods : Postnatal 7-days-old Sprague-Dawley rats, which had undergone unilateral HI operation, were given stereotaxic intracerebral injections of either vehicle or mMSCs and then tested for locomotory activity in the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th week of the stem cell injection. In the 8th week, Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the learning and memory dysfunction for a week. Results : In the open field test, no differences were observed in the total distance/the total duration (F=0.412, P=0.745) among the 4 study groups. In the invisible-platform Morris water maze test, significant differences were observed in escape latency (F=380.319, P<0.01) among the 4 groups. The escape latency in the control group significantly differed from that in the high-dose mMSC and/or sham group on training days 2-5 (Scheffe's test, P<0.05) and became prominent with time progression (F=6.034, P<0.01). In spatial probe trial and visible-platform Morris water maze test, no significant improvement was observed in the rats that had undergone transplantation. Conclusion : Although the rats that received a high dose of mMSCs showed significant recovery in the learning-related behavioral test only, our data support that mMSCs may be used as a valuable source to improve outcome in HIE. Further study is necessary to identify the optimal dose that shows maximal efficacy for HIE treatment.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.452-455
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• 2006

The in vitro cytoprotective and anti-oxidative effects of ursodeoxycholic acid, a major active compound from bear's gall were investigated in mouse brain microglia. In the present study, we wished to scrutinize the potential role of UDCA as an anti-neurodegenerative agent in neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease. This concept was supported by the multiple preliminary studies in which UDCA has an anti-inflammatory effect in microglial cells. In the study, we found that $7.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ UDCA was effective in the protection of cells from $H_2O_2$ damage, a reactive oxygen, and the resuIt was coincided with the anti-apoptotic effect in DAPI staining. Moreover, the metal-catalyzed oxidation study showed that UDCA has antioxidant effect as much as ascorbic acid at $50{\sim}100\;{\mu}g/mL$. In conclusion, these study results suggested that neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease probably caused by over-expressed beta amyloid peptide in elderly people can be controled by UDCA through an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effect. The evidences showed in the study may be references for more in-depth in vivo and clinical studies for a candidate of anti-neurodegenerative therapy in the near future.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2008

Statement of problem & Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a mouth guard material properties on the skull and brain when they were under impact loads on mandible. Material and methods: Two customized mouth protectors having different material propeerst ieach other were made for a female Korean who had no history of brain trauma, no cerebral diseases, nomal occlusion and natural dentition. The 3D finite element model of human skull and brain scanned by means of computed tomography was constructed. The FEM model of head was composed of 407,825 elements and 82,138 nodes, including skull, brain, maxilla, mandible, articular disc, teeth and mouth guard. The stress concentrations on maxillary teeth, maxilla and skull with two mouth guards were evaluated under oblique impact load of 800N onto mandibular 3 loading points for 0.1sec. And the brain relative displacement was compared in two different mouth guard materials under same condition. Result and Conclusion: The results were as follows; 1. In comparison of von Mises stress on maxillary teeth, a soft mouth guard material had significantly lower stress values on measuring point than a hard mouth protector materials (P < .05). 2. In comparison of von Mises stress on maxilla and skull, A soft mouth protector material had significantly lower stress values on measuring point than a hard mouth protector materials (P < .05). 3. For impact loads on mandible, there were more stress concentrated area on maxilla and skull with hard mouth guard than soft with mouth protector. 4. For impact loads on mandible, brain relative displacement had little relation with mouth guard material properties. In results of this study, soft mouth guard materials were superior to hard mouth guard materials for mandible impact loads for prevention of sports injuries. Although the results of this study were not enough to figure out the roles of needed mouth guard material properties for a human head, we got some knowledge of the pattern about stress concentration and distribution on maxilla and skull for impact loads with soft or hard mouth protector. More studies are needed to substantiate the relationship between the mouth guard materials and sports injuries.