• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.725-732
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• 2005

This study attempted to investigate if the soy isoflavone, genistein, influences bone metabolism in ovariectomized, 4-week-old female Wister rats. All the rats were divided into sham (SH) and ovariectomized (OVX) groups consisting of OVX-17${\beta}$-estradiol($10\;{\mu}g/kg$ b.w.), OVX-1mg or 5 mg or 10mg of genistein/kg b.w. The rates were allowed ad libitum access to foods and water for 8 weeks. The Results showed that body weight had significantly increased in the OVX group compared to the SH group (p<0.05) and was not different among the OVX-GEN and OVX-ES groups and the OVX group. The liver and uterus weights in the OVX groups were slighter than those in SH group (p<0.05). The kidney weight in the OVX groups was decreased compared to in that in the SH group but was not significantly different among all OVX groups. Femoral length in the OVX groups was longer than in the SH group and was not different. Rats in the OVX groups had higher creatinine levels than those in the SH group and hydroxyproline level did not differ significantly among any of the groups. Serum ALP activity and Ca in bone, feces, urine and serum did not change among the groups. Bone mineral density (BMD) decreased in the OVX groups compared to the SH group and was slightly increased by feeding genistein (p>0.05). Breaking force and stiffness did not change by ovariectomy and feeding genistein. Hence, these results suggested that estrogen may affect bone mineralization in growing rats and that genistein be may involved in the prevention of bone loss. However, more studies are needed to identify the proper mechanism of genistein and bone formation.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2001

The ectopic expression of gonadotropin releasing hormone(GnRH and luteinizing hormone(LH) in several tissues is a quite intriguing phenomenon. Recently, the presence of GnRH and its receptor has been clearly demonstrated in rodents and human mammary gland. In this context, one can postulate that the presence of local circuit composed of GnRH and LH in the gland. The present study was undertaken to elucidate whether there is a correlation between the LH expression in rat mammary gland and physiological status during the process of mammary differentiation. LH contents in mammary gland from cycling to weaning rats were measured by radioimmunoassay(RIA). In cycling rats, changes of the LH level in both serum and mammary gland showed similar pattern as the highest level in proestrus and the lowest level in diestrus II stage. While the serum LH levels were fluctuated from pregnant through involution stage, a sharp decline of mammary LH contents was observed in the lactating rats. This decrement was recovered in involuting rats to the level of proestrus stage. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot analyses demonstrated that the transcriptional activities of the mammary LH and GnRH were increased from diestrus I stage to estrus stage, and the increased levels were maintained in pregnant, lactation and involution stages. To test the hypothesis that the alteration in mammary LH expression might be steroid-dependant, ovariectomy(OVX) and steroid supplement model was employed. As expected, supplement of estradiol(E$_2$) after OVX remarkably decreased serum LH level compared to that in serum from vehicle-only treated rats. Likewise, administration of E$_2$ significantly reduced the mammary LH content. The present study demonstrated that (i) the LH expression in mammary gland could be altered by some physiological parameters such as estrous cycle, pregnancy, lactation and involution, and (ii) ovarian steroid especially estrogen seems to be one of major endocrine factors which are responsible for regulation of mammary LH expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.487-499
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• 2016

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of testosterone (T) and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$) on the production of progesterone ($P_4$) by granulosa cells, and of the $E_2$ on the production of $P_4$ and T by theca internal cells. In the first experiment, granulosa cells isolated from the largest ($F_1$) and third largest ($F_3$) preovulatory follicle were incubated for 4 h in short-term culture system, $P_4$ production by granulosa cells of both $F_1$ and $F_3$ was increased in a dose-dependent manner by ovine luteinizing hormone (oLH), but not T or $E_2$. In the second experiment, $F_1$ and $F_3$ granulosa cells cultured for 48 h in the developed monolayer culture system were recultured for an additional 48 h with increasing doses of various physiological active substances existing in the ovary, including T and $E_2$. Basal $P_4$ production for 48 h during 48 to 96 h of the cultured was about nine fold greater by $F_1$ granulosa cells than by $F_3$ granulosa cells. In substances examined oLH, chicken vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (cVIP) and T, but not $E_2$, stimulated in a dose-dependent manner $P_4$ production in both $F_1$ and $F_3$ granulosa cells. In addition, when the time course of $P_4$ production by $F_1$ granulosa cells in response to oLH, cVIP, T and $E_2$ was examined for 48 h during 48 to 96 h of culture, although $E_2$ had no effect on $P_4$ production by granulosa cells of $F_1$ during the period from 48 to 96 h of culture, $P_4$ production with oLH was found to be increased at 4 h of the culture, with a maximal 9.14 fold level at 6 h. By contrast, $P_4$ production with cVIP and T increased significantly (p<0.05) from 8 and 12 h of the culture, respectively, with maximal 6.50 fold response at 12 h and 6, 48 fold responses at 36 h. Furthermore, when $F_1$ granulosa cells were precultured with $E_2$ for various times before 4 h culture with oLH at 96 h of culture, the increase in $P_4$ production in response to oLH with a dose-related manner was only found at a pretreatment time of more than 12 h. In the third experiment, theca internal cells of $F_1$, $F_2$ and the largest third to fifth preovulatory follicles ($F_{3-5}$) were incubated for 4 h in short-term culture system with increasing doses of $E_2$. The production of $P_4$ and T by theca internal cells were increased with the addition of $E_2$ of $10^{-6}M$. These increases were greater in smaller follicles. These results indicate that, in granulosa cells of the hen, T may have a direct stimulatory action in the long term on $P_4$ production, and on $E_2$ in long-term action which may enhance the sensitivity to LH for $P_4$ production, and thus, in theca internal cells, $E_2$ in short term action may stimulate the production of $P_4$ and T.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 1998

The objective of this study was to determine effects of $\beta$-mercaptoethanol ($\beta$-ME) and cyst-eine (CYS) on the development of bovine em-bryos obtained from in vitro matured and fertil-ized oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COC-s) were matured in micro-drop of TCM-199 medium containing 10% FBS, 17$\beta$-Estradiol and FSH-p under paraffin oil at 39$^{\circ}C$ for 24 hrs. The fertilization of COC were induced in Fert-TALP medium supplemented with PHE, heparin, BSA and then the fertilized oocytes were cultured in CR1aa medium for 24 hrs. To investigate the effects of the agents on the development of the embryos, the embryos developed to the late 2-cell stage were cultured in the media with and without $\beta$-ME, CYS for 9 days. In experiment 1, to select appropriate concentration of $\beta$-ME and CYS during whole culture period (9 days), various concentrations of $\beta$-ME and CYS were add ded to the CR1aa medium. Addition of 25TEX>$\mu$M of $\beta$-ME and O.1mM of CYS to the culture medium 1 increase the incidence of embryos developed to the blastocyst. In experiment 2, we evaluated the effects of 25$\mu$M of $\beta$-ME and O.1mM of CYS addition on the blastocyst formation when emb bryos at different stages were exposed to 25$\mu$M $\beta$-ME and O.1mM of CYS. $\beta$-ME and CYS enhanced in vitro development of embryos to the blastocyst stage. The effect was greater in 8-ceII to morula embryos than in embryos fewer than 2-cells at the initiation of treatment. These results suggested that the addition of 25$\mu$M B-ME and O.1mM cysteine enhanced development to the blastocyst and hatching stage of in vitro derived bovine embryos, also addition of $\beta$-ME and cysteine were effective later stage embryo than early embryo development.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 1998

This study has been focused on both estrogenic and proliferating activity of genistein (GEN) and bisphenol A (BPA). GEN and BPA enhance the proliferation of estrogen-dependent MCF-7 human breast cancer cells at concentrations as low as 100 nM of GEN and 8 ng/ml of BP A achieving similar effect to that of estradiol at 1 nM. Expression of the estrogen responsive gene, pS2 was also induced in MCF-7 cells by treatment with genistein at dose as low as 1 nM and BPA at dose as low as 4 ng/ml. Using 21 day-old ovariectomized nude mice, we examined end-bud formation and mammary gland development after treatment with bisphenol A or genistein. Compared with untreated control, mammary gland development and end-bud formation were significantly increased in mice fed genistein or bisphenol A (p<0.05). Taken together, it is concluded that GEN and BP A can act as an estrogen agonist resulting in cell proliferation and induction of the estrogen responsive pS2 gene in MCF-7 cells in vitro and in athymic mice in vivo, respectively. Therefore, it is suggested that GEN and BP A might modulate human endocrine system and these compounds might be considered as a endocrine modulator at the low levels of doses.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1501-1508
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• 2013

This study investigated antioxidant activity and the lipid content of serum for the possible outcome of improving the activity of Ishige okamurae extracts in ovariectomized rats. The antioxidant effects of an Ishige okamurae water extract and an Ishige okamurae ethanol extract were measured by evaluating DPPH free radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity. Fifty, seven-week old female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups as follows: sham-operated rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX-CON), ovariectomized rats that were treated with 17-beta-estradiol (200 ${\mu}g/kg/day$), and ovariectomized rats that were treated with Ishige okamurae extracts (50 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively). The diets were fed to the rats for seven weeks after ovariectomy. The antioxidant activities of the water and ethanol extracts of Ishige okamurae increased in a dose-dependent manner, and the ethanol extract was found to be higher than the water extract. Therefore, we examined the effect of an Ishige okamurae ethanol extract on total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels, and anti-platelet aggregation. The total-cholesterol and triglyceride content of the serum increased in the OVX-CON group compared to the SHAM group, but supplementation with the Ishige okamurae ethanol extract caused these factors to decrease. Notably, the serum LDL-cholesterol concentration in the supplemented 200 mg/kg/day Ishige okamurae ethanol extract group was significantly more reduced than it was in the OVX-CON group. In addition, the platelet aggregation ability was lower in the groups treated with Ishige okamurae than it was in the OVX-CON group. According to these results, the effects of Ishige okamurae extract on serum lipid content in ovariectomized rats were illuminated.

• Archives of design research
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• v.19 no.2 s.64
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• pp.261-272
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• 2006

As we cannot think of our lives without a nation, it is closely related to almost every part of our daily lives. The role of government is becoming more important in the complex modern society as an essential element of national authority even though the government has indirect and secondary characteristics in its functional performance. Therefore, the government has to be efficient in planning and executing its policies, and it needs to be representative and fair as part of a national authoritative community. In the 21st century when symbolic and cultural importance of images are becoming more important, it is crucial for the government organizations to have an integrated identity design system that can satisfy both of these requirements of the government. However, the C.I.(Corporate Identity) of each Korean administrative branch has been developed separately and sporadically, which resulted in lack of consistency as part of the government. Shape and material of their C.I.s that follow short term design trend and popularity also lack uniqueness which can be distinguished from those of any private corporation. This may show that our government lacks systematic administrative capability, since image of a feature represents its characteristics and reality, and their recognition and evaluation from others become identity of the feature. In this perspective, the purpose of this thesis is to suggest an identity design system that has certain rules and regularity with wide variety of possible alterations for the central administration in Korea. In order to represent this visually, identity design system with both integrity and variety of possible alteration is created based on traditional Korean culture, especially the concept of Umyang-ohaeng and Samjae.

• Archives of design research
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• v.19 no.2 s.64
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• pp.241-250
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• 2006

Hangeul as the Korean unique characters were invented according to some character-making principles and based on scholars' exhaustive researches. While most of the characters in the world evolved naturally, Hangeul was invented based on a precise linguistic analysis of the time, and therefore, it is most scientific and reasonable among various characters throughout the world. Nevertheless, Hangeul typeface designs do not seem to inherit the ideology of scientific and reasonable Hangeul correctly. For the square forms have been used intact due to the influences from the Chinese characters which prevailed during the time. If a single set of square characters should be designed, as much as 11,172 fonts should be designed, which suggests that advantages of Mangeul may not well be used fully; Hangeul was invented to visualize every sound with the combinations of 28 vowels and consonants. Problems of such square fonts began to be identified since 1900's when typewriters were introduced first from the West. Since a typewriter is designed with 28 characters laid out on its keyboard by using such combinations, the letters may be easily combined on it. The so-called the flexibility square-format typeface was born as such. Specially, the three-pairs fonts of these can be combined up to 67 letters including vowels and consonants. The three-pairs fonts system can help to solve the problems arising form the conventional square fonts and inherit the original ideology of Hangeul invention. This study aims to review the history of the three-pairs fonts designs facilitated by mechanic encoding of Hangeul and thereupon, suggest some desirable directions for future Hangeul fonts. Since the flexibility square-format typeface is expected to evolve more and more owing to development of the digital technology, they would serve our age of information in terms of both functions and convenience. Just as Hunminjongum tried to be literally independent from the Chinese characters, so the flexibility square-format typeface designs would serve to recover identity of our Hangeul font designs.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.54-61
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• 2016

Purpose Precocious Puberty is defined as the development of secondary sexual characteristics in girls younger than 8 years, and boys 9 years. Cause premature closure of the epiphysis is a disease that eventually decreases the final adult height. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the diagnostic difference the GnRH (Gonado-tropin-releasing Hormone) stimulation test results with medical records of precocious puberty in girls. Materials and Methods From February 2015 to December 2015 it was enrolled in the girls 118 people who visited the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Pediatrics, Endocrinology Internal Medicine. True precocious puberty group (n=57), early puberty group (n=39), were divided into Premature thelarche (n=22) group. A Tanner stage, chronological age, bone age, height, body weight for each group was determined by examining the mean${\pm}$standard deviation. GnRH test result was compared LH (Basal, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min), FSH (Basal, 30 min, 60 min) for each group, Each group LH, FSH Peak value distribution, the mean${\pm}$standard deviation was calculated for the peak LH/LH basal ratio, peak LH/Peak FSH ratio. The significance probability (P-value) between the value of each third group was determined. Results The average height of the true precocious puberty group $131{\pm}14.85$, the mean weight was $28.80{\pm}4.93$, the average chronological age $7.1{\pm}0.81$, the mean bone age was $9.9{\pm}0.9$, The average height of early puberty group was $134{\pm}5.10$, the average weight $28.50{\pm}4.43$, the average chronological age $8.05{\pm}0.03$, the mean bone age was $10.0{\pm}0.62$, The average height of Premature thelarche $129{\pm}6,01$, the average weight was $28.65{\pm}5.98$, the average chronological age $7.02{\pm}0.58$, the mean bone age was $8.04{\pm}1.29$. There was no significant difference when compared to the height and weight. There was a significant difference between the groups in the chronologic age and bone age difference (P <0.0002) True precocious puberty group showed peak LH levels at 30'(82.5%), 45'(12.3%), 60'(5.3%), in Peak FSH 30'(8.8%), 60'(91.2%). Early Puberty group showed high values in Peak LH at 30'(79.5%), 45'(17.9%), 60'(2.6%), in peak FSH levels at 30'(7.7%), 60'(92.32%). In Premature thelarche Group it showed the Peak LH levels at 30'(30%), 45'(59%), 60'(9.09%), Peak FSH levels at 30'(0%) 60'(100%). When compared with the The Peak LH/basal LH ratio, True precocious puberty group was $19.09{\pm}17.15$, early puberty group was $15.23{\pm}10.88$, Premature thelarche group showed significant differences between the three groups as $4.93{\pm}4.36$.(P <0.0001) LH Peak/FSH Peak ratio, true precocious puberty group was $1.222{\pm}0.77$, early puberty group was $1.34{\pm}1.23$, Premature thelarche group showed significant differences between the three groups as $0.3{\pm}0.09$(P <0.0001) Conclusion In order to diagnose the true precocious puberty have a diagnostic value when the LH peak after GnRH stimulation is increased by more than two to three times compared to baseline or a predetermined level or more than 5~10 IU/L increases. GnRH Test is a test for a long time and the patient discomfort due to repeated blood sampling, but the hypothalamus-pituitary gland- gonad axis activity evaluate and is the most basic accurate test in the differential diagnosis of precocious puberty disorders.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2006

The use of underarm and body care cosmetics with oestrogenic chemical excipients (particularly the parabens) and the hypothesized association with breast cancer incidence, particularly in women. It is noted that the type of cosmetic product is irrelevant (e.g. antiperspirant/deodorant versus body lotion, moisturizers or sprays versus creams) and attention must focus on issues of actual exposure to chemicals through continued dermal application of body care products and the endocrine/hormonal activity and toxicity of the chemicals in the formulations. To evaluate the estrogenic activities of parabens such as ethylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben and isopropylparaben, we used recombinant yeasts containing the human estrogen receptor [Saccharomyces cerevisiae ER+LYS 8127], human breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines and human estrogen receptor ${\alpha}\;and\;{\beta}$. In E-screen assays, isopropylparaben is the most estrogenic paraben, and in ER competition assay, isobutylparaben is the most estrogenic paraben. We evaluated isopropylparaben was most active in the recombinant yeast assay, followed by propylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben and butylparaben. Results from this study demonstrate that parabens are observed in human endocrine system. Therefore, we have shown that the parabens is induced the estrogenic activities similar to $17{\beta}$-estradiol and Bisphenol-A.