• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.128-148
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• 2019

Massive environmental monitoring has been conducted continuously since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power accident in March of 2011 by different monitoring methods that have different features together with migration studies of radiocesium in diverse environments. These results have clarified the characteristics of radiological environments and their temporal change around the Fukushima site. At three months after the accident, multiple radionuclides including radiostrontium and plutonium were detected in many locations; and it was confirmed that radiocesium was most important from the viewpoint of long-term exposure. Radiation levels around the Fukushima site have decreased greatly over time. The decreasing trend was found to change variously according to local conditions. The air dose rates in environments related to human living have decreased faster than expected from radioactive decay by a factor of 2-3 on average; those in pure forest have decreased more closely to physical decay. The main causes of air dose rate reduction were judged to be radioactive decay, movement of radiocesium in vertical and horizontal directions, and decontamination. Land-use categories and human activities have significantly affected the reduction tendency. Difference in the air dose rate reduction trends can be explained qualitatively according to the knowledge obtained in radiocesium migration studies; whereas, the quantitative explanation for individual sites is an important future challenge. The ecological half-lives of air dose rates have been evaluated by several researchers, and a short-term half-life within 1 year was commonly observed in the studies. An empirical model for predicting air dose rate distribution was developed based on statistical analysis of an extensive car-borne survey dataset, which enabled the prediction with confidence intervals. Different types of contamination maps were integrated to better quantify the spatial data. The obtained data were used for extended studies such as for identifying the main reactor that caused the contamination of arbitrary regions and developing standard procedures for environmental measurement and sampling. Annual external exposure doses for residents who intended to return to their homes were estimated as within a few millisieverts. Different forms of environmental data and knowledge have been provided for wide spectrum of people. Diverse aspects of lessons learned from the Fukushima accident, including practical ones, must be passed on to future generations.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2009

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly prevalent worldwide. The major challenge for current antiviral treatment is the elevated drug resistance that occurs via rapid viral mutagenesis. In this study, we developed AAV vectors to simultaneously deliver two or three shRNAs targeting different HBV-related genes. These vectors showed markedly better antiviral effects than ones that delivered a single shRNA in vitro. A dual shRNA expression vector (AAV-157i/1694i), which simultaneously expressed two shRNAs targeted the S and X genes of HBV, reduced HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA levels by $87{\pm}4$, $80.3{\pm}2.6$ and $86.2{\pm}7%$ respectively, eight days post-transduction. In a mouse model of prophylactic treatment, HBsAg and HBeAg were reduced to undetectable levels and the serum HBV DNA level was reduced by at least 100 fold. These results indicate that AAV-157i/1694i generates potent anti-HBV effects and that the strategy of constructing multi-shRNA expression vectors may lead to enhanced anti-HBV efficacy and overcome the evading mechanism of the virus and thus the development of drug resistance.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2018

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects most species of warm-blooded animals, including humans. The heavy incidence and severe or lethal damage caused by T. gondii infection clearly indicate a need for the development of an effective vaccine. T. gondii GRA8 is a member of the dense granules protein family and is used as a marker of acute infection. In the present study, we evaluated the protective immunity induced by DNA vaccination based on a recombinant eukaryotic plasmid, pDsRed2-GRA8, against acute toxoplasmosis in mice. BALB/c mice were intramuscularly immunized with the pDsRed2-GRA8 plasmid and then challenged by infection with the highly virulent GFP-RH strain of T. gondii. The specific immune responses and protective efficacy against T. gondii of this vaccine were analyzed by measuring cytokine and serum antibody titers, splenocyte proliferation assays, and the survival times of mice after challenge. Our results showed that mice immunized with pDsRed2-GRA8 demonstrated specific humoral and cellular responses, induced higher IgG antibody titers with predominant IgG2a production; increased levels of IL-10, IL-12 (p70), $IFN-{\gamma}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and splenocyte proliferation; and prolonged survival times compared to those of control mice. The present study showed that DNA immunization with pDsRed2-GRA8 induced humoral and cellular immune responses, and all immunized mice showed greater Th1-type immune responses and longer survival times than those of control mice. These results indicated that T. gondii GRA8 DNA immunization induces a partial protective effect against acute toxoplasmosis.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.145-161
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• 1998

This correlational study sought to find the relationship among women's health status and the level of importance & performance of postpartal care. One hundred thirty three women who live in Seoul and rural area including hospitalized in a general hospital and midwifery clinic were studied from 1st April, 1998 to 25th April, 1998 for 25 days. Data analysis consisted of frequency, percentage, Pearson Correlation Coefficiency, t-test, ANOVA and Sheffe test as a post hoc, using SPSS. The results of analysis were as follows ; mean age of respondents was 31.9 years and mean number of children was 1.8. The most of family type was nuclear family and lived int apartment. Mean frequency of pregnancy was 2.7 times and most women delivered at local clinic, general or University hospital. Mean period of after delivery was 53.7 month. The level of importance and performance of traditional postpartal care (Sanhujori) was more higher than hospital postpartal care. The level of importance, performance of postpartum care and health status had significant relationship. The higher level of importance was, & the higher level of performance was higher, and the higher degree of health status. The factors related to health status were postabortal sahujori period after abortion, nuclear family, the evaluation of sahujori, whether women and followed the caregiver's advice well or not and whether they have physical symptoms or not, at the level of $5{\sim}0.1%$ of significance statistically. The factors related to the level of importance of postpartal care were the number of child, present health status and health status of pre-post of delivery, deliver place and the opinion of effective postpartum care method at the level of $5{\sim}0.1%$ of significance statistically. The factors related to the level of performance of postpartal care were delivery place, the opinion of whether they can do at the hospital or not and whether they have physical symptom or not at the level of $1{\sim}0.1%$ of significance statistically. In conclusion, this finding reconfirmed the relationship among women's health status and the postpartal care. It provides a challenge to the health professional caregivers to research continually and repeatedly and confirm the conceptual model of Sanhujori, reestablish effective and integrative postpartal caring system which contains oriental and western paradigm for women's life long health toward the 21C.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.3-50
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• 1996

At present, Korean universities and colleges are confronted with a strong challenge, within and without, demanding a drastic change or innovation of university education. Discussion on the propulsion of the School Program is now under way as one of the means to reform the university education With such a background in mind, we have considered what should be the desirable course of Library and Information Science in Korea. We have considered the characteristic features and roles of library and information professionals to cope with the now approaching information society and the changing conditons of educational environment We have collected the pros and cons among professors of tile School Program, and investigated the curricula of the three universities which are at present practicing the School Program. Of the 139 professors to whom we have sent the questionnaries, $92(66\%)$ responded, of which the pros were 42 and the cons were 45. The model plan for the School Program is 'departmental school program' $(44\%)$, which purports to adopt 'departmental school program', with the curricula and material resources being utilized in common, or to adopt joint-appointment system with the common utilization of teaching materials and the introduction of a limited dual major system. The argument against introduction the School Program was that because of the peculiar nature of the discipline itself, Library and Information Science can not be merged with any other discipline.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.167-186
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• 1997

The inhibitory activity of Aquillariae Lignum (Thymelaeaceae) on type Ⅰ immediate hypersensitivity of the anaphylactic type in the wistar rat model of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, an IgE-mediated, mast cell-dependent reaction. Administered orally at 250, 500 mg/kg body weight 1 h before the challenge, Aquillariae Lignum potently inhibited PCA in rats which disodium cromoglycate showed poor inhibitory activity. Aquillariae Lignum inhibited compound 48/80-induced anaphylaxis 100% with a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight at 1 h before or 5 and 10 min after injection of compound 48/80. Aquillariae Lignum (0.05-1.6 mg/ml) also exhibited the dose-related inhibitory effect on compound 48/80-induced histamine release from rat_peritoneal mast cells. Moreover, it was clearly demonstrated that Aquillariae Lignum and disodium cromoglycate disodium cromoglycate potently inhibited such type Ⅰ allergic reactions as anaphylactic shocks, suggesting that these drugs, at least in part, share the same mechanism of action It is suggested that Aquillariae Lignum may exert a stronger inhibition on the mast cell degranulation process. Since Aquillariae Lignum (1.0 mg/ml) inhibited about 90% of histidine decarboxylase activity, the inhibitory activity of Aquillariae Lignum for histamine release was considered to be derived from the inhibition of histidine decarboxylase activity. It results from increased expression of the mRNA coding for histidine decarboxylase, as assessed by Northern blot analysis after a 12 h incubation to P-815 cells with dexamethasone plus 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. The addition of Aquillariae Lignum to P-815 cells with dexamethasone plus 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, significantly inhibited the histidine decarboxylase gene expression. Tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ was not constitutively expressed in P-815 cells. Substance P selectively activates the tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ gene expression in P-815 cells. Aquillariae Lignurm inhibited substance P-induced tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ gene expression. Furthennore, The effect of Aquillariae Lignum on the mRNA expression of novel protein kinase C ${\delta}$ a major isoform of mast cells, was examined by Northern blot analysis. The expression of novel protein kinase C ${\delta}$ mRNA in the presence of Aquillariae Lignum was significantly lower than in the absence of Aquillariae Lignum. These results suggest the possibility that the inhibition of allergic reaction by Aquillanae Lignum should be regulated by tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ and novel protein kinase C ${\delta}$.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.461-469
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBSECTIVE: Airway inflammation by eosinophils, neutrophils and alveolar macrophages is a characteristic feature of asthma that leads to pathological subepithelial thickening and remodeling. Our previous study showed that oxidative stress in airways resulted in eosinophilia and epithelial apoptosis. The current study investigated whether glutathione-containing dry yeast extract (dry-YE) ameliorated eosinophilia, goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus overproduction. MATERIALS/METHOD: This study employed $2{\mu}g$/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or 20 ng/mL eotaxin-1-exposed human bronchial epithelial cells and ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged mice. Dry-YE employed in this study contained a significant amount of glutathione (140 mg in 100 g dry yeast). RESULTS: Human bronchial epithelial cell eotaxin-1 and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) were markedly induced by the endotoxin LPS, which was dose-dependently attenuated by nontoxic dry-YE at 10-50 ${\mu}g$/mL. Moreover, dry-YE inhibited the MUC5AC induction enhanced by eotaxin-1, indicating that eotaxin-1-mediated eosinophilia may prompt the MUC5AC induction. Oral supplementation with 10-100 mg/kg dry-YE inhibited inflammatory cell accumulation in airway subepithelial regions with a reduction of lung tissue level of intracellular adhesion molecule-1. In addition, ${\geq}50$ mg/kg dry-YE diminished the lung tissue levels of eotaxin-1, eosinophil major basic protein and MUC5AC in OVA-exposed mice. Alcian blue/periodic acid schiff staining revealed that the dry-YE supplementation inhibited goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus overproduction in the trachea and bronchiolar airways of OVA-challenged mice. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress may be involved in the induction of eotaxin-1 and MUC5AC by endotoxin episode and OVA challenge. Dry-YE effectively ameliorated oxidative stress-responsive epithelial eosinophilia and mucus-secreting goblet cell hyperplasia in cellular and murine models of asthma.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.12-24
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• 2010

Plant metabolomics is a research field for identifying all of the metabolites found in a certain plant cell, tissue, organ, or whole plant in a given time and conditions and for studying changes in metabolic profiling as time goes or conditions change. Metabolomics is one of the most recently developed omics for holistic approach to biology and is a kind of systems biology. Metabolomics or metabolite fingerprinting techniques usually involves collecting spectra of crude solvent extracts without purification and separation of pure compounds or not in standardized conditions. Therefore, that requires a high degree of reproducibility, which can be achieved by using a standardized method for sample preparation and data acquisition and analysis. In plant biology, metabolomics is applied for various research fields including rapid discrimination between plant species, cultivar and GM plants, metabolic evaluation of commercial food stocks and medicinal herbs, understanding various physiological, stress responses, and determination of gene functions. Recently, plant metabolomics is applied for characterization of gene function often in combination with transcriptomics by analyzing tagged mutants of the model plants of Arabidopsis and rice. The use of plant metabolomics combined by transcriptomics in functional genomics will be the challenge for the coming year. This review paper attempted to introduce current status and prospects of plant metabolomics research.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.82-88
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• 1999

In this study, to evaluate newly developed Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine candidate CJ50003, we assessed its immunogenicity along with a previously commercialized inactivated JE Biken vaccine. The CR0003 viral antigens produced in Vero cells were administered suhcutaneouly to mice either with alum-adjuvanled or free form. The ELISA titers and neutralizing (NEUV antibody titers accounting for major protective immunity in JE were determined. Mice given alum-adjuvanted vaccine had a 10 times higher antigen-specific NEUT antibody response than did those which {lad received free antigens. This NEUT antibody response was maintained until day 168 with NEUT titer more than 1:160. Even with the 0.5 ng of alum-adjuvanted antigen dose, NEUT titer was induced more than 1:10 which is considered as an evidence for seroconversion and protection. Thc mice immune sera had a similar rate of cross-reactivity against three different viral antigens, Nakayama-NlH, P3 and SA14; as determined by ELISA assay. In a mice challenge model, vaccination with the GI50003 conferred more protection than with commercialized Biken vaccine against Nakayama virus. These data demonstrated that CJ50003 vaccine candidate has an excellent prophylactic efficacy and implicated it has a strong potential for further development and commercialization.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.215-224
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• 2011

It is an important issue to develop quality assessing system for biofuel for the purpose of accelerating the mass production of biofuel. It is particularly challenging to conduct testing method in the mass production of bioethanol while meeting quality specifications such as ASTM (American Society for Testing & Materials) D4806-10. In order to address this challenge, this paper proposes on-line spectroscopic quality assesment system based on Near Infrared spectrum and Partial Least Squares method in Chemometrics. As a result of testing a number of preprocessing methods and Partial Least Squares, it was found out that Savitzky-Golay method showed the best performance in terms of spectrum correction, noise reduction, and model maintenance. The proposed system allows us to assess multiple quality components continuously using spectroscopic facilities with the cheap cost. Since the value of R2 is more than 0.99, it is possible to replace the laboratory analysis.