• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.205-211
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• 2018

Rebaudioside A is a natural sweetener isolated from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, one of the glycosides based on steviol. Recent studies have shown that rebaudioside A inhibits the inflammatory response by inhibiting cytokines secretion such as interleukin-$1{\alpha}/1{\beta}$ in activated RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cells by LPS. However, the inhibitory mechanism of inflammation by rebaudioside A in the presence of LPS has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, in this study, we tried to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of rebaudioside A at the protein level when RAW264.7 cells were stimulated by LPS. The inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression level was reduced in the group treated with $250{\mu}M$ rebaudioside A compared to the LPS-treated group. In addition, the mRNA expression level of $NF-{\kappa}B$, which is a representative nuclear transcription factor by inflammatory signal, was also decreased as compared with that of LPS-treated group. In addition, $NF-{\kappa}B$ and inhibitor-${\kappa}B$ ($I-{\kappa}B$) complexes that are known to be dissociated by $I-{\kappa}B$ phosphorylation and ubiquitination were less phosphorylated than LPS treated group in the presence rebaudioside A. Finally, we could find that rebaudioside A was involved in the $NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway through reducing extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that rebaudioside A might suppress inflammatory reaction through MAPK and $NF-{\kappa}B$ regulation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 1995

To understand the molecular structure of Korean garlic viruses, cDNA cloning of virus genomic RNA was attempted. Virus particles were isolated from virus-infected garlic leaves and a cDNA library was constructed from garlic virus RNA. One of these clones, S81, selected by random sequencing has been identified as a member of potexvirus group other than potyvirus and carlavirus. The clone is 873 bp long contains most of the coat protein (CP) coding region and 3'-noncoding region including poly(A) tail. A putative polyadenylation signal sequence (AAUAAA) and the hexanucleotide motif (ACUUAA), a replicational cis-acting element conserved in the 3'-noncoding region of potexvirus RNAs are noticed. The clone S81 shows about 30-40% identity in both nucleotide and amino acid sequences with CPs of potexviruses. The genome size of the virus was analysed to be 7.46 knt by Northern blot analysis, which was longer than those of other potexviruses. The open reading frame encoding CP was expressed as a fusion protein (S81CP) in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was purified by immobilized metal binding affinity chromatography. Polyclonal antibody was raised against S81CP in rabbit to examine the occurrence of garlic potexvirus in Korean garlic plants by immunoblot analysis. Two virus protein bands of Mr 27,000 and 29,000 from garlic leaf extract of various cultivars reacted with the antibody. It was shown that Mr 27,000 band might not be a degradation product of Mr 29,000 band, suggesting that two types of potexvirus different in size of coat protein could exist in Korean garlic plants.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2012

Electrical impedance tomography(EIT) can produce functional images with conductivity distributions associated with physiological events such as cardiac and respiratory cycles. EIT has been proposed as a clinical imaging tool for the detection of stroke and breast cancer, pulmonary function monitoring, cardiac imaging and other clinical applications. However EIT still suffers from technical challenges such as the electrode interface, hardware limitations, lack of animal or human trials, and interpretation of conductivity variations in reconstructed images. We improved the KHU Mark2 EIT system by introducing an EIT electrode interface consisting of nano-web fabric electrodes and by adding a synchronized biosignal measurement system for gated conductivity imaging. ECG and respiration signals are collected to analyze the relationship between the changes in conductivity images and cardiac activity or respiration. The biosignal measurement system provides a trigger to the EIT system to commence imaging and the EIT system produces an output trigger. This EIT acquisition time trigger signal will also allow us to operate the EIT system synchronously with other clinical devices. This type of biosignal gated conductivity imaging enables capture of fast cardiac events and may also improve images and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by using signal averaging methods at the same point in cardiac or respiration cycles. As an example we monitored the beat by beat cardiac-related change of conductivity in the EIT images obtained at a common state over multiple respiration cycles. We showed that the gated conductivity imaging method reveals cardiac perfusion changes in the heart region of the EIT images on a canine animal model. These changes appear to have the expected timing relationship to the ECG and ventilator settings that were used to control respiration. As EIT is radiation free and displays high timing resolution its ability to reveal perfusion changes may be of use in intensive care units for continuous monitoring of cardiopulmonary function.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2007

This study is attempted to correct an error of electronic blood pressure meter with an optical sensor. In general, for a hospitalized patient, ECG, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiration are basically measured to monitor the patient's condition. Opening of a blood vessel after it is occluded by pressurizing the cuff influences the blood flow of peripheral blood vessels as well as oscillation changes in the cuff. Blood vessels are occluded and peripheral blood flow disappears at cuff pressure above the examinee's blood pressure, while blood vessels are opened and peripheral blood flow appears again at cuff pressure under the examinee's blood pressure. Then Disappear-Appear Point Length(DAPL) of peripheral blood flow can be judged with the signal of peripheral blood flow, thus is available as a factor of error correction for electronic blood pressure meter. Also, systolic or diastolic blood pressure can be corrected with Appear-Point-Pressure(APP) of cuff pressure at a point where blood flow occurs and Appear-Maximum Pressure(AMP) of cuff pressure at the maximum amplitude point of peripheral blood flow after peripheral blood flow appears again. For verification, 27 examinees were selected, and their blood value was obtained through experimental procedure of 4 stages including induction of blood pressure change. The examinees were divided into two groups of experimental group and control group, regression analysis was conducted for experimental group, and correction of a blood pressure error was verified with optical signal by applying the regression equation calculated in experimental group to control group. As an experimental result, mean of the whole measurement errors was 5mmHg or more, which did not meet the standard fur blood pressure meter. As a result of correcting blood pressure measurements with data of DAPL, APP, and AMP as drawn out of PPG signal, systolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were $-0.6{\pm}4.4mmHg,\;-1.0{\pm}3.9mmHg$ and $-1.3{\pm}5.4mmHg$, respectively, indicating that mean of the whole measurement errors was greatly improved, and standard deviation was decreased.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.661-668
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• 2018

Biomedical signals using skin resistance have different characteristics according to stress diseases. Biological diagnostic devices for diagnosing stress diseases have been developed by using these characteristics, and devices have been developed so that the signals measured by the skin storage meter can be easily analyzed. Experts in the field will look directly at the output signal to determine the likelihood of any stress disorder. However, it is very difficult for a person to accurately determine whether a person to be measured has a stress disorder by analyzing a bio-signal measured by each person to be measured, and the result of the judgment is very likely to be wrong. In order to solve these problems, we implemented the function of determining the signal of a stress disorder by using the machine learning technique. SVM was used as a classification method in consideration of low computing ability of measurement equipment. Training data and test data were randomly generated for each disease using error range 5 based on 13 diseases. Simulation results showed more than 90% decision accuracy. In the future, if the measurement equipment is actually applied to the patients, we can retrain the classifier with the newly generated data.

• KIPS Transactions on Computer and Communication Systems
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.271-280
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• 2017

In this paper, we propose a new safety system composed of wearable devices, driver's seat belt, and integrating controllers. The wearable device and driver's seat belt capture driver's biological information, while the integrating controller analyzes captured signal to alarm the driver or directly control the car appropriately according to the status of the driver. Previous studies regarding driver's safety from driver's seat, steering wheel, or facial camera to capture driver's physiological signal and facial information had difficulties in gathering accurate and continuous signals because the sensors required the upright posture of the driver. Utilizing wearable sensors, however, our proposed system can obtain continuous and highly accurate signals compared to the previous researches. Our advanced wearable apparatus features a sensor that measures the heart rate, skin conductivity, and skin temperature and applies filters to eliminate the noise generated by the automobile. Moreover, the acceleration sensor and the gyro sensor in our wearable device enable the reduction of the measurement errors. Based on the collected bio-signals, the criteria for identifying the driver's condition were presented. The accredited certification body has verified that the devices has the accuracy of the level of medical care. The laboratory test and the real automobile test demonstrate that our proposed system is good for the measurement of the driver's condition.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological function of ODAM and its signal transduction pathway in the steps of ameloblast differentiation and enamel mineralization. An ODAM recombinant protein was produced and stable ODAM transgenic cell lines were also established using ameloblast-lineage cells (ALCs). To verify the ODAM signal transduction pathway, BAMBI recombinant protein, an inhibitor of BMP2 and BMP receptor 1B (BMPR-1B), was treated and BMPR-1B siRNA was used to silence expression of BMPR-1B. Mineralization was augmented by the ALCs treated with the ODAM recombinant protein and the sense ODAM overexpressing cells. The ALP activity was also increased markedly in the sense ODAM overexpressing cells and the ALCs treated with ODAM recombinant protein. The inactivation of ODAM in the ALCs down-regulated the expression of BMPR-1B, whereas its expression was up-regulated markedly when ODAM was overexpressed. These results provide deeper insights into the process of ameloblast maturation and in enamel mineralization. It also suggested that ODAM augmented enamel mineralization.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.389-396
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• 2009

Objective : Triptolide (TP) has been reported to suppress the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase-1 (MKP-1), of which main function is to inactivate the extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2), the p38 MAPK and the c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1/2 (JNK-1/2), and to exert antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities. However, the mechanisms underlying antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities of TP are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the down-regulation of MKP-1 expression by TP would account for antiproliferative activity of TP in immortalized HT22 hippocampal cells. Methods : MKP-1 expression and MAPK phosphorylation were analyzed by Western blot. Cell proliferation was assessed by $^3H$-thymidine incorporation. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) against MKP-1, vanadate (a phosphatase inhibitor), U0126 (a specific inhibitor for ERK-1/2), SB203580 (a specific inhibitor for p38 MAPK), and SP600125 (a specific inhibitor for JNK-1/2) were employed to evaluate a possible mechanism of antiproliferative action of TP. Results : At its non-cytotoxic dose, TP suppressed MKP-1 expression, reduced cell growth, and induced persistent ERK-1/2 activation. Similar growth inhibition and ERK-1/2 activation were observed when MKP-1 expression was blocked by MKP-1 siRNA and its activity was inhibited by vanadate. The antiproliferative effects of TP, MKP-1 siRNA, and vanadate were significantly abolished by U0126, but not by SB203580 or SP600125. Conclusion : Our findings suggest that TP inhibits the growth of immortalized HT22 hippocampal cells via persistent ERK-1/2 activation by suppressing MKP-1 expression. Additionally, this study provides evidence supporting that MKP-1 may play an important role in regulation of neuronal cell growth.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.115-122
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• 2015

A standard air flow generator system was developed to generate air flows of various levels simultaneously applied to two different air flow transducer modules. Axes of two identical standard syringes for spirometer calibration were connected with each other and driven by a servo-motor. Linear displacement transducer was also connected to the syringe axis to accurately acquire the volume change signal. The user can select either sinusoidal or square waveform of volume change and manually input any volume as well as maximal flow rate levels ranging 0~3 l and 0~15 l/s, respectively. Various volume and flow levels were input to operate the system, then the volume signal was acquired followed by numerical differentiation to obtain the air flow signal. The measured volumes and maximal air flow rates were compared with the user input data. The relative errors between the user-input and the measured stroke volumes were all within 0.5%, demonstrating very accurate driving of the system. In case of the maximal flow rate, relatively large error was observed when the syringe was driven very fast within a very short time duration. However, except for these few data, most measured flow rates revealed relative errors of approximately 2%. When the measure and user-input stroke volume and maximal flow rate data were analyzed by linear regression analysis, respectively, the correlation coefficients were satisfactorily higher than 0.99 (p < 0.0001). These results demonstrate that the servo-motor controls the syringes with enough accuracy to generate standard air flows. Therefore, the present system would be very much practical for calibration process as well as performance evaluation and comparison of two different air flow transducer modules.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2002

Atrial fibrillation(AF). chronic or paroxysmal is the most frequent arrhythmia in human subjects Duration of P wave in signal-averaged electrocardiography(SAECG) reflects intra-atrial conduction time and therefore. could be used as an electrophysiological marker for atrial conduction chance at the earthy stave. So we apply the analysis method using SAECG to diagnose Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation(PAF) . Subjects Participated for the study consisted of two groups: a control group(n=34) of normal healthy volunteers and a group of AF Patients(n=38) with a documented history of PAF but no other history of cardiac disease. We evaluated the effect of several filtering and determination methods to find the starting and ending feints of the P wavy on its duration. To increase the measurement reliability of P wave duration. the automatic detection method was proposed. Also. to increase the detection rate for PAF risk, the decision threshold value was optimized using receiver operation characteristics(ROC) curve. Results showed that the highest statistical difference (p〈0.001) of the P wane duration between controls and subjects was obtained at the Processing condition, using absolute threshold vague(8.75 $\mu N$) , a least mean square(LMS) high pass filter and 30 Hz cutoff frequency. The most outstanding difference(sensitivity 88 % specificity 64.4 %) between controls and subjects was obtained at the decision threshold value of 112 ms.