• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.370-379
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• 2022

Human pregnancy is a delicate and complex process where multiorgan interactions between two independent systems, the mother, and her fetus, maintain pregnancy. Intercellular interactions that can define homeostasis at the various cellular level between the two systems allow uninterrupted fetal growth and development until delivery. Interactions are needed for tissue remodeling during pregnancy at both fetal and maternal tissue layers. One of the mechanisms that help tissue remodeling is via cellular transitions where epithelial cells undergo a cyclic transition from epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) and back from mesenchymal to epithelial (MET). Two major pregnancy-associated tissue systems that use EMT, and MET are the fetal membrane (amniochorion) amnion epithelial layer and cervical epithelial cells and will be reviewed here. EMT is often associated with localized inflammation, and it is a well-balanced process to facilitate tissue remodeling. Cyclic transition processes are important because a terminal state or the static state of EMT can cause accumulation of proinflammatory mesenchymal cells in the matrix regions of these tissues and increase localized inflammation that can cause tissue damage. Interactions that determine homeostasis are often controlled by both endocrine and paracrine mediators. Pregnancy maintenance hormone progesterone and its receptors are critical for maintaining the balance between EMT and MET. Increased intrauterine oxidative stress at term can force a static (terminal) EMT and increase inflammation that are physiologic processes that destabilize homeostasis that maintain pregnancy to promote labor and delivery of the fetus. However, conditions that can produce an untimely increase in EMT and inflammation can be pathologic. These tissue damages are often associated with adverse pregnancy complications such as preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (pPROM) and spontaneous preterm birth (PTB). Therefore, an understanding of the biomolecular processes that maintain cyclic EMT-MET is critical to reducing the risk of pPROM and PTB. Extracellular vesicles (exosomes of 40-160 nm) that can carry various cargo are involved in cellular transitions as paracrine mediators. Exosomes can carry a variety of biomolecules as cargo. Studies specifically using exosomes from cells undergone EMT can carry a pro-inflammatory cargo and in a paracrine fashion can modify the neighboring tissue environment to cause enhancement of uterine inflammation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2022

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the wound healing effects of oral administered hot water extracts of Korean black ginseng (KBG). Methods 40 C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups; normal, control, vitamin E 200 mg/kg, KBG 100 mg/kg, KBG 200 mg/kg, each n=8. Skin wounds were made in the back of all mice except normal group using biopsy punches. Wounds were observed on days 7 and 14 after injury. The anti-oxidant and inflammatory protein levels were evaluated using western blotting. Skin tissue was analyzed by hematoxylin & eosin and Masson's trichrome staining method. Results KBG significantly accelerated reducing wound area. KBG significantly decreased myeloperoxidase activity. KBG significantly decreased oxidative stress factors such as NADPH oxidase-4 and p22^phox and increased antioxidant enzymes including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor2, kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1, heme oxygenase-1, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase-1/2. Moreover, KBG significantly decreased inflammation factors including nuclear factor-κB, phosphorylated inhibitor of κBα, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin (IL)-6 and increased anti-inflammation cytokine such as IL-4 and IL-10. In addition, KBG significantly increased tight junction proteins including claudin-1, claudin-3, claudin-4. In histopathologic, KBG made the epithelium thin and uniform, and accelerated the remodeling of collagen. Conclusions The results suggest that KBG has healing effects on skin wound in mice by anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.151-161
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• 2007

EPS provides a superb self-sufficient stability. Studies on the process of EPS construction method focus on the inchoate phase of general construction, which is increasingly applied to construction sites throughout the world. Unfortunately, there has been little study on the durability and long-term soil behavior involving EPS materials. In this study, the boring, in-site and laboratory tests were conducted to examine the long-term soil behavior in the back-filling of alternating behind the side to which EPS was applied. And results of finite element analysis considering various test results and the soil behavior data measured during the construction show that EPS construction method is a superb process that relieves the load and consequently reduces the settlement, alleviates the stress on the abutment, and prevents lateral flow.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.493-501
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study is to present basic data for appropriate therapeutic intervention by confirming changes in the autonomic nervous system and pain by applying high-frequency deep diathermy to the lower abdomen in patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Design: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods: Thirty-eight women aged 18-50 years who complained of regular menstrual cycles (24-32 days) and primary dysmenorrhea symptoms were randomly assigned to a high-frequency therapy group (5, 7, or 9 mins) and a superficial heat therapy group (20 min). High frequency treatment group: The subject was in a supine position, and radio frequency was applied to the lower abdomen below the umbilicus. The radio frequency therapy device used in this study uses a 300 kHz capacitive electrode and a 500 kHz resistive electric transfer to deliver deep heat. Superficial heat treatment Group: Subjects applied a hot pack to the lower abdomen for 20 minutes while lying on their back. Evaluations were made of Heart rate variability and Visual Analogue Scale. Results: In subjects with menstrual pain, there was a significant difference in pain between the high-frequency therapy group and the superficial heat therapy group (p=0.026). However, there was no significant difference between the autonomic nervous system and the stress resistance (p>0.05). Conclusions: As a result of this study, high-frequencytreatment using radiofrequency was effective in relieving pain because it can penetrate deeper tissues than conventional hot packs using superficial heat. In particular, it was found that the optimum effect was obtained when high frequency was applied forfive-seven minutes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2023

Lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) has various advantages, but it has limitations in ensuring sufficient ductility as structural members such as reinforced concrete (RC) columns due to its low confinement effect of core concrete. In particular, the confinement effect significantly decreases as the axial load increases, but studies on evaluating the ductility of RC columns at high axial loads are very limited. Therefore, this study examined the effects of concrete unit weight on the seismic performance of RC columns subjected to constant axial loads applied with different values for each specimen. The column specimens were classified into all-lightweight aggregate concrete (ALWAC), sand-lightweight aggregate concrete (SLWAC), and normal-weight concrete (NWC). The amount of transverse reinforcement was specified for all the columns to satisfy twice the minimum amount specified in the ACI 318-19 provision. Test results showed that the normalized moment capacity of the columns decreased slightly with the concrete unit weight, whereas the moment capacity of LWAC columns could be conservatively estimated based on the procedure stipulated in ACI 318-19 using an equivalent rectangular stress block. Additionally, by applying the section lamina method, the axial load level corresponding to the balanced failure decreased with the concrete unit weight. The ductility of the columns also decreased with the concrete unit weight, indicating a higher level of decline under a higher axial load level. Thus, the LWAC columns required more transverse reinforcement than their counterpart NWC columns to achieve the same ductility level. Ultimately, in order to achieve high ductility in LWAC columns subjected to an axial load of 0.5, it is recommended to design the transverse reinforcement with twice the minimum amount specified in the ACI 318-19 provision.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.411-429
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• 2024

This study aims to identify the symptoms and related factors of musculoskeletal disorders among teacher librarians, with the goal of raising awareness about their health and safety, and providing foundational data for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. An online survey was conducted with teacher librarians working in elementary, middle, and high school libraries, and data were analyzed based on responses from 204 participants. The survey provided by KOSHA was utilized to identify the musculoskeletal disorder symptoms and the collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 29.0 program. Of the 204 librarian teachers, 92.6% have experienced symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders such as pain, soreness, and tingling in relation to their work over the past year. Additionally, 20.6% were classified as normal, 44.1% as requiring management, and 35.3% as reporting pain. By body part, the highest incidence was reported in the hands·wrists·fingers, followed by the lower back, shoulders, neck, arms·elbows, and legs·feet.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.407-419
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• 2024

Objectives: This study was conducted to measure financial toxicity (FT) among patients with cancer in Vietnam using the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST) and to describe the cost management strategies employed by these patients. Methods: This comprehensive cross-sectional study enrolled 634 patients from 2 specialized oncology hospitals in Vietnam. Using COST cut-off scores, FT was classified as none/mild (≥26), moderate (14-25), or severe (≤13). Cost management strategies, or coping mechanisms, were classified into 4 groups: lifestyle changes, financial resource strategies, treatment modifications, and support seeking. Results: The prevalence of FT was 91.8%, with 51.7% of participants demonstrating severe and 40.1% exhibiting moderate FT. Severe FT was significantly associated with female, low education level, unstable employment, low household economic status, and advanced cancer stage. The most common coping strategies were as follows: among lifestyle changes, reducing spending on basic items and leisure activities (78.7%) and cutting back on essential household expenses (66.4%); among financial resource strategies, borrowing money from relatives or friends (49.1%) and withdrawing funds from retirement or savings accounts (34.1%); within treatment modifications, switching treatment facilities or doctors due to cost concerns (9.3%); and within support seeking, obtaining help from welfare or community organizations (18.8%). All strategies were significantly more likely to be used by patients with severe FT. Conclusions: FT was highly prevalent among patients with cancer. Most patients relied on lifestyle adjustments and coping strategies, underscoring the need for improved financial support systems to alleviate the economic burden associated with cancer care.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.653-666
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• 1995

This study was conducted to investigate factors related to experience rate of low back pain(LBP) in the high school students, a questionnaire survey was carried out for 778 high school students in Andong city Kyungsang Pook province from 28th June to 10th July, 1993. The results were as follows: The experience rate of LBP for 778 high school students who were interviewed was 27.1 %. Unknown(47.4 %) was the highest in the cause of LBP. The experience rate of a academical high school students (57.8 %) was higher than the technical high school students(42.7 %) in association according to LBP and school division(P = 0. 001). The experience rate of 18 years old above students (60.2 %) was higher than 17 years old below school students(39.8 %%) in association between LBP and age(P = 0.031). The experience rate of students who go to bed at the hot floored bed (80.1 %) was higher than students who go to bed at the bed room (11.8 %) in association between LBP and room type(P = 0.012). The statisticaly significant variables related to LBP were school division, age and stress. It was revealed by this survey that independent variables related to LBP experience rate of high school students were important health problem. So the prospective research is need by those variables.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.141-156
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• 2004

Objectives : JianTeng-Yuan(交藤圓) is said to be a prescription for preservation of health in ${\ulcorner}$HuaTuo ZhongZangJing(華陀 中藏經)${\lrcorner}$. It is known to have the effect of Bu-Shen(補腎: strengthening kidney) and Yi-Shou(益壽: prolonging the span of one's life). This study investigates whether JTY is effective on inhibition of oxidation stress. Methods : Sprague-Dawley Rats(12-week-old, weight $300{\pm}20g$) were divided into 3 groups. Normal group(n=8) was injected PBS(1ml/body, s.c) at the back neck's skin. Control group(n=8) was injected D-galactose(50mg/kg, 1ml PBS/body, s.c) to induce pathological animals. JTY group was injected the same treatment for the Control group, and fed containing JTY(10%). The whole groups were treated 1 time per day for 6 weeks. After rats were sacrificed and anti-oxidant enzyme(SOD, CAT, G-px) activity, GSH quantity of RBC and tissue(heart, liver and kidney), plasma Vit-C quantity were examined. Besides, the MDA levels of liver and kidney, lipofuscin of heart and endurance of erythrocyte membrane were measured. Results : In the JTY group, RBC's SOD activity decline was halted by 21% of the normal level, compared to the control group ; G-px activity(unit/g of Hb) increased significantly, compared to the normal group ; and the level of Vit-C in plasma increased by 16%. Heart's SOD activity was kept at the same level as that of the normal group ; and CAT activity decline was halted by 26%. Kidney's CAT and G-px activities were kept at the same level as that shown in the normal group, implying the existence of halting effect. Liver also showed a slight halting effect against the decline of anti-oxidant ability, but the effect was not significant(a=0.05). A comparison between the levels of peroxide in SD rats showed that the level of TBARS in plasma increased significantly in the control group and that it was normal in the JTY group. The livers in the JTY group, compared to those in the control group, showed 36% halting effect of the normal level while their kidney's indicated the level significantly lower than the normal level. Heart's lipofuscin increased significantly in the control group, but was alike in both the JTY and the normal groups. Endurance of erythrocyte membrane(%) decreased significantly in the control group while it was kept at the similar level in both the JTY and the normal groups, indicating the halting effect. Conclusions : This study suggests that JTY is effective to defend oxidation stress caused by D-galactose in the animals. It showed that the anti-oxidant ability was maintained and strengthened. On the other hand, it reduced the level of peroxide in animals. In sum, JTY appeared to have the equilibrium normal physiological function in SD rat.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.sup
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• pp.21-28
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• 2012

Since the temperature during summer is higher than the temperature which is suitable for milking cows, high temperature stress have severely affected dairy farmers due to decreased milk production. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of rainwater sprinkling system for reducing heat stress in milking cows during intense heat time. Treatment conditions were divided into 2 types ; No rainwater sprinkling (T1) and Rainwater sprinkling (T2). Temperature in the milking cow shed, feed intake, milk yield, respiration rate and rectal temperature were measured to investigate the effect of hot environment on the physiological, productive responses in milkig cows. The results obtained are summarized as follows : The daily milk yields were 24.5 and 27.4 kg per head in T1 and T2 during experimental period. The respiration rate was significantly higher in T1 than those of T2. The rectal temperature in T1 ($40.6^{\circ}C$) was higher than those of T2 ($39.8^{\circ}C$). It was suggested that rainwater sprinkling system installed in the dairy cow shed was effective means to reduce heat stress of milking cow.