• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.260-266
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• 2020

Alcohol impacts many central nervous systems, such as dopamine, serotonin, opioids, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), leading to addiction. Many studies have investigated the relationship between GABA and alcoholism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of GABA high and low rice intake on the alcohol intake behavior of mice. Black sticky rice with giant embryo (BSRGE), black sticky rice (BSR), giant embryo rice (GER), and rice (Rice) were germinated for 48 hr in brown rice. The embryos were then collected and used in the study. The diets were fed to respective C57BL/6 mouse groups ad libitum for 16 days and investigated for 2 hr alcohol intake, 22 hr water intake, 24 hr feed intake, and body weight. As a result of the repeated measure of ANOVA for the daily change of alcohol intake for 2 hr daily between the BSRGE and BSR groups, there was a significant difference in the number of days of intake (DF = 7, F = 4.812, p = 0.026). A significant daily decrease in alcohol intake was observed in the BSRGE group compared to the BSR group. This reduction was consistent from Day 10 to Day 16. Alcohol consumption also significantly decreased in the GER group compared to the Rice group. This decrease was observed from Day 12 to Day 16. In conclusion, BSRGE and GER resulted in decreased alcohol intake in C57BL/6 mice compared to BSR and rice. This suggests that BSRGE may prevent relapse in patients with alcohol use disorder.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2020

Kinesin-1 is microtubule-dependent plus-end direct molecular motor protein essential for intracellular transport. It is a member of the kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) which transport cargo, including organelles, vesicles, neurotransmitter receptors, cell-signaling molecules, and protein complexes through interaction between its light chain subunit and the cargo. Kinesin light chain 1 (KLC1) is a non-motor subunit that associates with the kinesin heavy chain (KHC). Although KLC1 interacts with many different adaptor proteins and scaffolding proteins, its binding proteins have not yet been fully identified. We used the yeast two-hybrid assay to identify proteins that interact with the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain of KLC1, and found an interaction between KLC1 and EH domain-binding protein 1 like 1 (EHBP1L1). EHBP1L1 bound to the region containing all six TPR repeats of KLC1 and did not interact with KIF5B (a motor protein of kinesin 1) or KIF3A (a motor protein of kinesin 2) in the yeast two-hybrid assay. The carboxyl-terminus of the coiled-coil domain of EHBP1L1 is essential for interaction with KLC1. However, another EHBP1L1 isoform, EHBP1, did not interact with KLC1 in the yeast two-hybrid assay. KLC1 interacted with GST-EHBP1L1 and its coiled-coil domain but not with GST only. When co-expressed in HEK-293T cells, EHBP1L1 co-localized with KLC1 and co-immunoprecipitated with KLC1 and KIF5B but not KIF3A. These results suggest that kinesin 1 motor protein may transport EHBP1L1-associated cargo in cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.307-313
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• 2018

Alopecia cause psychological stress due to their effect on appearance. Thus, the global market size of the alopecia treatment products are growing quickly. Timosaponin A III is the well known active ingredient of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma. In this study, we investigated and compared the binding affinity of timosaponin A III with finasteride (5-beta reductase antagonist) and minoxidil (androgen receptor antagonist) on the target protein active site by in silico computational docking studies. The three dimensional crystallographic structure of 5-beta reductase (PDB ID : 3G1R) and androgen receptor (PDB ID: 4K7A) was obtained from PDB database. In silico computational autodocking analysis was performed using PyRx, Autodock Vina, Discovery Studio Version 4.5, and NX-QuickPharm option based on scoring functions. The timosaponin A III showed optimum binding affinity (docking energy) with 5-beta reductase as -12.20 kcal/mol as compared to the finasteride (-11.70 kcal/mol) and with androgen receptor as -9.00 kcal/mol as compared to the minoxidil (-7.40 kcal/mol). The centroid X, Y, Z grid position of the timosaponin A III on the 5-beta reductase was similar (overlap) to the finasteride, but the X, Y, Z centroid grid of the timosaponin A III on the androgen receptor was significantly far from the minoxidil centroid position. These results significantly indicated that timosaponin A III could be more potent antagonist to the 5-beta reductase and androgen receptor. Therefore, the extract of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma or timosaponin A III containing biomaterials can substitute the finasteride and minoxidil and can be applied to the alopecia protecting product and related industrial fields.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2711-2717
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• 2016

Background: Through search the possible randomized control trials, we make a renewed meta-analysis in order to assess the impact of aspirin in preventing the recurrence of colorectal adenoma. Materials and Methods: The Medicine/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Chinese biomedical literature service system (SinoMed) databases were searched for the related randomized controlled trials until to the April 2016. Three different authors respectively evaluated the quality of studies and extracted data, and we used the STATA software to analyze, investigate heterogeneity between the data, using the fixed-effects model to calculate and merge data. Results: 7 papers were included the renewed meta-analysis, among these studies, two pairs were identified as representing the same study population, with the only difference being the duration of follow-up. Thus there were only five papers included our meta-analysis, and one Chinese paper were also included the work. Results were categorized by the length of follow-up, different kinds of people, varied dose of oral aspirin. The relative of adenoma in patients taking aspirin vs placebo were 0.73 (95% CI 0.55-0.98, P=0.039) with 1 year follow up; 0.84 (95% CI 0.72-0.98, P=0.484) with greater than 1 year follow up; for the advanced adenoma, the RR 0.68 (95% CI 0.49-0.94, P=0.582),for one year; RR=0.75 (95% CI 0.52-1.07, P=0.552) for greater one year. Furthermore the white population could divided into two subgroups according to the different length of follow-up time. When the length of follow-up time less than 3-year, The RR of two subgroups respective were RR=0.86 (95% CI 0.76-0.98, P=0.332), $I^2=0%$, RR=0.68 (95% CI 0.47-0.98, P=0.552), $I^2=64.6%$, But with the extension of follow-up time greater than 2-year, with the white, oral aspirin without considering dose had no efficacy on preventing the recurrence of any adenoma, the RR was 0.86 (95% CI 0.71-1.05, P=0.302), $I^2=16.4%$. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that oral aspirin is associated with a remarkable decrease in the recurrence of any adenoma and advanced adenomas in patients follow-up for 1 year without concerning the dose of aspirin, but with the extension of follow-up time for greater than 1 year, oral aspirin can be effective on preventing the recurrence of any adenoma, but for the advanced adenoma, the result indicated that oral aspirin had no efficacy, According to the inclusion of ethnic groups, we also divided relevant papers into two subgroups as the yellow and white group. Then the follow-up time was less than 3 years, oral aspirin without considering the dose, had an significant efficacy on preventing the recurrence of any adenoma. But with the follow-up greater than 2 years, oral aspirin had no effect in the white.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2014

Wedge filter could use to increase the dose distribution at the hot dose regions. We evaluated dose discrepancy at surface and build region in the infield and outfield that Metal Wedge (MW) and Enhance Dynamic Wedge (EDW) were interact with photon. In this paper, we used Gafchromic EBT3 film that had excellent spatial resolution, composed the water equivalent materials and changed the optical density without development. The set up conditions of linear accelerator were fixed 6 MV photon, 100 cm SSD, $10{\times}10cm^2$ field size and were irradiated 400 cGy at Dmax. The dose distribution and absorbed dose were evaluated when we compared the open field with $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$ metal wedge and enhanced dynamic wedge. A $15^{\circ}$ metal wedge could increase the surface and build up region dose than using a $15^{\circ}$ enhanced dynamic wedge. A $30^{\circ}$ metal wedge could decrease the surface and build up region dose than using a $30^{\circ}$ enhanced dynamic wedge. A $45^{\circ}$ metal wedge could decrease by large deviation the surface and build up region dose than using a $15^{\circ}$ enhanced dynamic wedge. The dose of penumbra region at outfield were increased on the thick side but were decreased on the thin side. It could be decrease the surface dose and build up region dose, if the metal wedge filters were properly used to make a good dose distribution and not closed the distance of surface.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.331-336
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• 2007

Background: Although pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a respiratory disease, the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) DNA or Mtb itself has been reported in the peripheral blood (PB) of several patients with pulmonary TB. Additionally, it was recently announced that active pulmonary TB patients donated PB, and that this blood was then transfused to other individuals in Korea. Methods: Sixty-nine patients with bacteriologically-confirmed pulmonary TB (35), non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease (6), and other lung diseases (28) were enrolled in this study, which was conducted to determine if Mtb DNA could be detected in the PB by PCR. In addition, 10 pulmonary TB patients with high-burden bacilli were also enrolled in this study for the culture of Mtb in PB. Results: PCR detected the presence of Mtb in 22.8% (8/35) of the pulmonary TB patients, in 16.7% (1/6) of the patients with NTM lung disease, and in none of the patients with other diseases (0%). In addition, no Mtb was cultured from the PB of the 10 pulmonary TB patients. Conclusion: Although Mtb DNA was detected in the PB of some patients with pulmonary TB, viable Mtb was not isolated from the PB of those patients, which indicates that patients that viable Mth may not be transmitted via trasfusion of blood of pulmonary TB patients.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.2 s.75
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• pp.315-322
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• 2006

FS11052, a novel microbial metabolite from Streptomyces spp. was identified as a small molecular substance and shown inhibition activities for the release of neurotransmitter from rat hippocampal neuron and PC12 cells. FS11052 is an inhibitor of tritiated norepinephrine ($[^3H]-NE$) release in high $K^+$ buffer solution containing ionomycin, indicating that FS11052 inhibits neurotransmitter release after the influx of $Ca^{2+}$ ions. When examined the effect of FS11052 on glucuronidase release from guinea pig neutrophils, FS11052 inhibited glucuronidase release: when treated with $5{\mu}g/ml$ of FS11052, which was not induced cellular cytotoxicity. The fact that the glucuronidase release in neutrophil and norepinephrine release in neuron was inhibited suggests the similarity in the locations and the mechanisms of FS11052 action targets. When treated with $5{\mu}g/ml$ of FS11052, $[^3H]-NE$ release and neurite extension for both rat hippocampal neurons and PC12 cells were prevented. These observations of FS11052 functioning as an inhibitor of neurotransmitter release suggest that FS11052 has an important role in synaptic transmission in neuron.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.171-182
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• 2004

This study investigates the biomechanical efficacies of vertebroplasty which is used to treat vertebral body fracture with bone cement augmentation for osteoporotic patients using image and finite element analysis. Simulated models were divided into two groups: (a) a vertebral body, (b) a functional spinal unit(FSU). For a vertebral body model, the maximum axial displacement was investigated under axial compression to evaluate the effect of structural integrity. The stiffness of each FE model simulated was normalized by the stiffness of intact model. In the case of FSU model, 3 types of compression fractures were formulated to assess the influence on spinal curvature changes. The FSU models were loaded under compressive pressure to calculate the change of spinal curvature. The results according to the various factors suggest that vertebroplasty has the biomechanical efficacy of the increment of structural reinforcement in a patient who has relatively high level of BMD and a patient with the amount of 15％, PMMA injection of the cancellous bone volume. The spinal curvatures after compression fracture simulation vary from 9$^{\circ}$ to 17$^{\circ}$ of kyphosis compared to that the spinal curvature of normal model was -2.8$^{\circ}$ of lordosis. These spinal curvature changes cause the severe spinal deformity under the same loading. As the degree of compressive fracture increases the spinal deformity also increases. The results indicate that vertebroplasty has the increasing effect of the structural integrity regardless of the amount of PMMA or BMD and the restoration of decreased vertebral body height may be an important factor when the compressive fracture caused the significant height loss of vertebral body.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.131-135
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• 2006

A commercial ion chamber matrix was examined the characteristics and its performance for radiotherapy qualify assurance. The device was the I'mRT 2D-MatriXX (Scanditronix-Wellhofer, Schwarzenbruck, Germany). The 2D-MatriXX device consists of a 1020 vented ion chamber array, arranged in $24{\times}24cm^2$ matrix. Each ion chamber has a volume of $0.08cm^3$, spacing of 0.762 cm and minimum sampling time of 20 ms. For the investigation of the characteristics, dose linearity, output factor, short-term reproducibility and dose rate dependency were tested. In the testing of dose linearity. It has shown a good signal linearity within 1% in the range of $1{\sim}800$cGy. Dose rate dependency was found to be lower than 0.4% (Range: 100-600 Mu/min) relative to a dose rate of 300 Mu/min as a reference. Output factors matched very well within 0.5% compared with commissioned beam data using a ionization chamber (CC01, Scanditronix-Wellhofer, Schwarzenbruck, Germany) in the range of field sizes $3{\times}3{\sim}24{\times}24cm^2$. Short-term reproducibility (6 times with a interval of 15 minute) was also shown a good agreement within 0.5%, when the temperature and the pressure were corrected by each time of measurement. in addition, we compared enhanced dynamic wedge (EDW, Varian, Palo Alto, USA) profiles from calculated values in the radiation planning system with those from measurements of the MatriXX. Furthermore, anon-uniform IMRT dose fluence was tested. All the comparison studies have shown good agreements. In this study, the MatriXX was evaluated as a reliable dosimeter, and it could be used as a simplistic and convenient tool for radiotherapy qualify assurance.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1998

Digital hearing aids offer many advantages over conventional analog hearing aids. With the advent of high speed digital signal processing chips, new digital techniques have been introduced to digital hearing aids. In addition, the evaluation of new ideas in hearing aids is necessarily accompanied by intensive subject-based clinical tests which requires much time and cost. In this paper, we present an objective method to evaluate and predict the performance of hearing aid systems without the help of such subject-based tests. In the hearing impairment simulation(HIS) algorithm, a sensorineural hearing impairment medel is established from auditory test data of the impaired subject being simulated. Also, the nonlinear behavior of the loudness recruitment is defined using hearing loss functions generated from the measurements. To transform the natural input sound into the impaired one, a frequency sampling filter is designed. The filter is continuously refreshed with the level-dependent frequency response function provided by the impairment model. To assess the performance, the HIS algorithm was implemented in real-time using a floating-point DSP. Signals processed with the real-time system were presented to normal subjects and their auditory data modified by the system was measured. The sensorineural hearing impairment was simulated and tested. The threshold of hearing and the speech discrimination tests exhibited the efficiency of the system in its use for the hearing impairment simulation. Using the HIS system we evaluated three typical hearing aid algorithms.