• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 1995

N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptor has been well known as an important mediator of several forms of neural and behavioral plasticity. But different results were reported about the effect of MK-801 or dextromethorphan on opioid dependence. The present studies examined whether NMDA receptor antagonists can alter the opioid dependence and tolerance in rodents. Naloxone precipitated withdrawal symptoms and changes of locomotor activities were observed in MK-801 or dextromethorphan pretreated morphine-dependent rats. Tail-flick assay was used for morphine analgesia and tolerance was found after 4 day's consecutive injections (10 mg/kg, s.c., twice/day) of morphine in mice. Locomotor activity was increased and the withdrawal symptoms were decreased by the pretreatment of MK-801 in morphine-dependent rats. But 0.3 mg/kg i.p. of MK-801 intensified the body weight loss and produced severe ataxia and rotation although some withdrawal signs were attenuated. Morphine induced analgesic tolerance was inhibited by the pretreatment of MK-801 and dextromethorphan. Dextromethorphan was more potent than MK-801 in inhibiting the development of the analgesic tolerance in mice. These results suggest that NMDA system may be involved in opioid withdrawal and analgesic tolerance but appropriate caution should be requested when MK-801 is used in combination with opioid because of untoward neurologic signs.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2006

Objective : It has been suggested that the occurrence of persistent pain signal during the early postnatal period may alter an individual's response to pain later in life. The aim of this study is to assess whether neonatal nerve injury resulted in long-lasting consequences on nociceptive system in the rat. Methods : We examined whether neuropathic pain behaviors and the changes of spinal neuropeptides [SP, CGRP, VIP and VIP] induced by peripheral nerve injury within 1 day after birth [Neonate group] were different from those at 8 weeks after birth [Mature group]. Results : The Neonate group showed more robust and long-lasting pain behaviors than the Mature group. Immunohistochemical findings demonstrated that spinal SP- & CGRP-immunoreactivities[ir] of the ipsilateral to the contralateral side increased in the Neonate group, whereas those decreased in the Mature group. In addition, increase in spinal VIP- & NPY-ir of the ipsilateral to the contralateral side was more robust in the Mature group than in the Neonate group. Conclusion : These results suggest that peripheral nerve injury in the early postnatal period may result in long-lasting and potentially detrimental alterations in nociceptive pathways.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.292-301
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• 2018

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood and remains a major cause of cancer related mortality in children. Significant scientific advancements have transformed the understanding of medulloblastoma, leading to the recognition of four distinct clinical and molecular subgroups, namely wingless (WNT), sonic hedgehog, group 3, and group 4. Subgroup classification combined with the recognition of subgroup specific molecular alterations has also led to major changes in risk stratification of medulloblastoma patients and these changes have begun to alter clinical trial design, in which the newly recognized subgroups are being incorporated as individualized treatment arms. Despite these recent advancements, identification of effective targeted therapies remains a challenge for several reasons. First, significant molecular heterogeneity exists within the four subgroups, meaning this classification system alone may not be sufficient to predict response to a particular therapy. Second, the majority of novel agents are currently tested at the time of recurrence, after which significant selective pressures have been exerted by radiation and chemotherapy. Recent studies demonstrate selection of tumor sub-clones that exhibit genetic divergence from the primary tumor, exist within metastatic and recurrent tumor populations. Therefore, tumor resampling at the time of recurrence may become necessary to accurately select patients for personalized therapy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2003

General pharmacological properties of ADP, a new pharmaceutical composition, which contains a mixed water extract obtained from the mixture of Phellodendron cortex (Phellodendron amurense) and Anemarrhena rhizoma (Anemarrhena asphodeloides), as the active ingredients, were investigated in experimental animals administering orally and in vitro test system. ADP had no influences on general behavior, pentobarbital sleeping time, spontaneous motor activity, motor coordination of mice, normal body temperature, chemoshock produced by pentylenetetrazole and writhing syndromes induced by 0.8% acetic acid at the dose of 150 and 1500 mg/kg. Gastric secretion of rats and intestinal motility of mice were not also influenced by the administration of ADP at doses of 150 and 1500 mg/kg, with the exception of the significant decrease of free HCI concentration at a dose of 1500 mg/kg in rats. ADP (150 and 1500 mg/kg) did not alter mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate in conscious rats. ADP given to anesthetized rats showed no effect on respiratory rate at the same doses. In in vitro experiments, ADP at the concentration of 150 mg/L did not show direct effect and inhibitory or augmentative action on histamine- or acetylcholine-induced contractions in the isolated ileum of guinea-pig. Taken together, these results indicate that ADP does not induce any adverse effects in experimental animals.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.455-458
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• 2010

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010 and will fundamentally alter health care in the United States for years to come. The US is currently one of the only industrialized countries without universal health insurance. The new law expands existing public insurance for the poor. It also provides financial credits to low income individuals and some small businesses to purchase health insurance. By government estimates, the law will bring insurance to 30 million people. The law also provides for a significant new investment in prevention and wellness. It appropriates an unprecedented $15 billion in a prevention and public health fund, to be disbursed over 10 years, as well as creates a national prevention council to oversee the government's prevention efforts. This paper discusses 3 major prevention provisions in the legislation: 1) the waiving of cost-sharing for clinical preventive services, 2) new funding for community preventive services, and 3) new funding for workplace wellness programs. The paper examines the scientific evidence behind these provisions as well as provides examples of some model programs. Taken together, these provisions represent a significant advancement for prevention in the US health care system, including a shift towards healthier environments. However, in this turbulent economic and political environment, there is a real threat that much of the law, including the prevention provisions, will not receive adequate funding.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.491-497
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• 2018

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria, elicits the secretion of cytokines, such as interferons, that stimulate the host defense system. Previously, we demonstrated that interferons induce interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) 1, 3, and 7, which regulate the transcription of Noxa and alter the expression profiles of Bcl-2 family proteins in tumors. However, the immediate consequences of LPS stimulation on Noxa and BH3 expression in tumor cells remain uncharacterized. In this study, we determined that LPS induced Noxa expression in CT26 cells. Furthermore, studies in HCT116 parental and HCT116 p53-deficient cells revealed that LPS-mediated Noxa was independent of p53. Meanwhile, IRF1, 3, and 7 in CT26, HCT116 parental, and HT116 p53-deficient cells were upregulated by LPS stimulation, suggesting that LPS induces the expression of these IRFs in a p53-independent manner. The responsiveness of IRF1, 3, 4, and 7 binding to the Noxa promoter region to LPS indicated that IRF1, 3, and 7 activated Noxa expression, whereas IRF4 repressed Noxa expression. Together, these results suggest that LPS directly affects Noxa expression in tumor cells through IRFs, implicating that it may contribute to LPS-induced tumor regression.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.231-235
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• 2015

The beneficial effects of probiotics on human health have been extensively studied. Strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium have gained considerable attention, as they are major groups of probiotic bacteria that improve gastrointestinal health. Recently, probiotics have been found to have positive effects on obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) that go beyond the improvement of gut health. Probiotics can alter the secretion of substances such as leptin and adiponectin from white adipose tissue via certain mechanisms. Additionally, probiotics can modulate the adaptive immune system against low-grade inflammation caused by obesity. The potential role of probiotics in the treatment of T2D has garnered interest because of increasing evidence of the anti-diabetic effect of probiotics. In this review, we discuss the results of in vivo studies that have examined the use of probiotics to prevent obesity and T2D, while primarily focusing on the studies that explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the activity of promising probiotic strains. The conclusions of this review could be of help to researchers who are investigating the effects of probiotics on obesity or T2D, and to patients with these diseases.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.48
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• pp.57-76
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• 2010

This study reviews maritime transport policy regarding liner conference and the changes in the liner market over the decades. Liner shipping industry has long been protected from competition by block exemption. To prevent excessive competition in punctual operation and its inelastic market structure, liner shipping companies formed conferences that are protected to fix the prices under the law. In the US, deregulation in transport sector began from 80's and continuing with OSRA 1998, conferences were dissolving. On the other hand, the EU with close conference system, Regulation 4056/86 contained block exemption remained in force for unlimited time without review clause. However, in Oct 2008, the EU has announced its removal, and conferences were no longer permitted to fix the price nor exchange information. Although OSRA 1998 has already broken up conferences by allowing individual service contracts, but the repeal of the immunity for price fixing will alter significantly the rule on cooperation in the industry since it is a unilateral move by the EU, especially in transatlantic lane. There are rapid changes in shipping market getting much more complicated, and with removal of 4056/86 allowing the market to be more competitive, opening up the industry with far more diverse strategic options. Hence this paper reviews on liner shipping industry and its changes of policies over the years from protected market to open competition market of today.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2012

The influence of magnetic field on propane and acetylene diffusion flames have been experimentally investigated using an electromagnetic system. Periodically induced magnetic field having various frequencies and duty ratios was established in square wave form. The maximum intensity and gradient of magnetic field were 1.3 T and 0.27 T/mm, respectively. The width of a propane flame was reduced up to 4.5% and the brightness was enhanced up to 25% when the magnetic field was induced. The soot emission from an acetylene flame was ceased when magnetic field was induced. The alteration of flow field, which is due to the paramagnetic characteristics of oxygen molecule, is most likely to be responsible for the change in flame size and brightness. The effect of magnetic field on diffusion flames, which competes with the gravitational effect, was more apparent from a smaller size flame. The magnetic field effect, therefore, could be important under microgravity conditions. Since the time required to alter the flow field must be finite, the magnetic field effect is likely to be less significant for a periodically oscillating magnetic field at a high frequency or having a small duty ratio.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.339-348
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• 1990

Techniques which are able to predict and control dynamic characteristics, not affecting the vibrational characteristics on the modification of structural design, are being studied. As one of these techniques, experimental modal analysis is widely applied by many researchers. In this study, modal analysis is performed using transfer matrix method by a macro computer. The developed program would estimate the structural modal parameters precisely, and the validity of this program is certified by comparing with the experimental results of .GAMMA A. structure. Estimated modal parameters(natural frequency, vibrational mode, equivalent mass, etc.) are in accord with the experimental results. Also, the optimal location of the additive mass is determined by the evaluation of the vibrational mode and the equivalent mass. The relation between the additive mass and the equivalent mass is specified, and we come to know that the ratio of equivalent mass to additive mass alter linearly within the range of 20%.