• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2010

Background: Preoperative chemotherapy has been adopted in our hospital as a standard treatment for non-small cell lung cancer patients with N2 disease. However, there have been cases of pathologic N2 disease that have been detected after curative-intent surgical resection. We retrospectively studied the outcomes of initial surgical treatment without neoadjuvant therapy in patients with unexpected N2 non-small cell lung cancer. Material and Method: Between January 1995 and June 2007, 225 patients were diagnosed with pathologic N2 disease after they underwent initial pulmonary resection without neoadjuvant therapy. Among them, 170 patients were preoperatively diagnosed with lymph node stage N0 or N1. We retrospectively reviewed their medical record and analyzed the outcomes. Result: The overall 5-year survival rate was 35.4%. The prognostic factors that were significantly associated with survival were no adjuvant therapy, histologic cell types other than adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, a pathologic T stage more than T1, old age (${\geq}$70 years) and no mediastinoscopic biopsy. During the follow-up, 79 patients (46.5%) experienced tumor recurrence, including loco-regional recurrence in 20 patients (25.3%) and distant metastasis in 56 (70.9%). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 33.7%. Conclusion: Based on our findings, the survival was good for patients with unexpected N2 non-small cell lung cancer and who underwent initial pulmonary resection without neoadjuvant therapy. A prospective comparative analysis is needed to obtain more conclusive and persuasive results.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2015

The following experiments were used to evaluate the effect of seeding method and pre-emergence herbicides on weed control and the production of the $sorghum{\times}sudangrass$ [sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] hybrid under field and in vitro conditions. Under the in vitro condition, we evaluated how different kinds of herbicides affect the rate of seed germination and the growth of early seedlings in the $sorghum{\times}sudangrass$ hybrid treated with herbicides. Simazine, alachlor, and methabenzthiazuron were used, and their concentration levels were 0%, 40%, 70%, and 100%. The germination ratio of the seeds was reduced by the application of simazine, methabenzthiazuron, and alachlor compared with the control (distilled water). The alachlor application severely decreased the sorghum germination ratio. However, seed germination was not greatly influenced by the concentration level of the herbicides. Root and shoot length were increased in the following order: control > simazine > methabenzthiazuron > alachlor. Overall, alachlor significantly reduced root length more than shoot length. The differential tolerance of the $sorghum{\times}sudangrass$ hybrid to pre-emergence herbicides by seeding method was then tested under the field condition. The plants were severely injured by the alachlor application, leading to a great reduction in the number of stems. However, for the simazine and methabenzthiazuron applications the number of stems lost was slightly lower than it was for the alachlor and simazine + alachlor applications. In the seeding method, drilling was more effective in reducing herbicide injury than broadcasting. All of the herbicides effectively controlled weeds. The simazine and methabenzthiazuron applications showed a significantly higher dry matter (DM) yield. However, the alachlor and simazine + alachlor applications severely reduced the DM yield. This result suggests that the alachlor application has a significant effect on plant production. Similarly, the total digestible nutrient (TDN) yield was greatly reduced by the alachlor and simazine + alachlor applications. From the results presented above, we concluded that the yield of DM was the highest for broadcasting with no herbicide. and drilling was the most-effective way to reduce herbicide injury. The simazine application was the most-effective herbicide, showing the highest forage yield and TDN yield.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2012

This study was carried out to determine the forage quality, production, and regrowth of Phragmites communis as a native grass according to growth stages. Experiment 1 was conducted in Ansan from May 2009 to April 2010 (7 stages), and experiment 2 was conducted in Cheonan from May to November 2011 (10 stages). In experiment 1, forage quality decreased rapidly with advance of growth from May. When harvested on late May, July, September and April of the following year, the contents of crude protein were 7.7%, 4.6%, 3.7%, and 2.2%, respectively. Relative feed value (RFV) were 80.2, 65.1, 61.8 and 52.8, and lignin contents were 7.1%, 9.9%, 12.0%, and 13.2%, respectively. In experiment 2, significantly higher forage yields were observed when harvested from late June to mid July. On the other hand, forage quality decreased with delayed harvest as was in experiment 1. Good regrowth of Phragmites communis was observed when harvested earlier than in August. When harvested on late May, June, July, August, September, October and November, the dry matter (DM) yields were 7,329 kg/ha, 12,527 kg, 9,593 kg, 8,279 kg, 7,649 kg, 5,822 kg and 5,540 kg, and in vitro digestible DM (IVDDM) yields were 3,924 kg/ha, 5,264 kg, 4,273 kg, 3,322 kg, 3,352 kg, 2,195 kg and 1,887 kg, respectively. Forage quality grades of Phragmites communis were 4th grade in May, 5th grade from June to Sept., and 6th grade in Oct., Nov., or in Apr. of the following year. However, all regrown Phragmites communis ranked the 4th in quality. In conclusion, we recommend that Phragmites communis should be harvested from late June to mid July (no later than the end of July) to obtain good forage quality with digestible nutrient contents greater than rice straw. Regrowth of Phragmites communis was poor, and more than 70% of annual forage yields were out of the first harvest. Therefore, we recommend only one harvesting per year for good regrowth and stable production of Phragmites communis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.313-319
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• 2009

The marine microalga Spirulina maxima was extracted using water or ethanol at 100 or $80^{\circ}C$ and by ultrasonification in water at $60^{\circ}C$. The ultrasonification technique generated the highest yield (19.8%). To be therapeutically useful, the extraction should yield a product with low cytotoxicity and high immunity against skin infections. The cytotoxicity of all extracts (1.0 mg/mL) was below 25%. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of the extract generated by ultrasonification was 5%. Extracts prepared in the described manners could inhibit hyaluronidase activity by up to 40% compared to the control. Increased growth of human B, T and NK cells and an increase in cytokine secretion were observed, confirming the interrelationship between both human immune and skin immune activity. The extract prepared by ultrasonification increased the growth of human B, T and NK cells up to $10.3{\times}10^4$ cells/mL, $11.3{\times}10^4$ cells/mL and $19.1{\times}10^4$ cells/mL, respectively. The extract prepared by ultrasonification also greatly increased the secretion of both IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$. Moreover, it was estimated that protein, Na and leucine occupy a high ratio. Accordingly, this study has confirmed that extracts prepared as described have the potential to effectively increase skin immunity.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.226-234
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• 2017

Purpose: With the implementation of the Act on Life Sustaining Treatment, hospice-palliative care will be extended to non-cancer diseases including the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, there are concerns about negative perceptions and prejudice toward AIDS patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related with willingness to volunteer (WV) for patients with end-stage AIDS among hospice volunteers. Methods: Participants were 326 hospice volunteers from 19 institutions. A self-administered questionnaire was employed to investigate the participants' WV for end-stage AIDS patients, and the questions were answered using an 11-point rating scale. Demographics, volunteer activity, satisfaction with hospice volunteering, knowledge of AIDS, and attitudes towards AIDS patients (i.e., fear AIDS patients, negative attitude towards AIDS patients, personal stigmatization and stigmatizing attitude) were also investigated. A multiple regression analysis was performed to examine factors associated with WV for patients with end-stage AIDS. Results: WV for patients with end-stage AIDS was 2.82 points lower than that for cancer patients (P<0.001). The multiple regression analysis showed that the higher the level of satisfaction with hospice volunteering (P=0.002) and the lower the level of "personal stigmatization" (P<0.001), participants showed greater WV for end-stage AIDS patients. Conclusion: The level of satisfaction with hospice volunteering and "personal stigmatization" were factors associated with participants' WV for patients with end-stage AIDS.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.331-342
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• 2020

The suppression of neuroinflammatory responses in microglial cells can be considered a key target for improving the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Asparagus cochinchinensis has traditionally been used as a medicine to treat fever, cough, kidney disease, breast cancer, inflammatory diseases, and brain diseases. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective mechanism of an aqueous extract from A. cochinchinensis root (AEAC), particularly its anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglial cells. BV-2 cells were treated with four different concentrations of AEAC. No significant toxicity was detected in BV-2 cells treated with AEAC. Nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels were 21% lower in the AEAC+LPS group than in the Vehicle+LPS group. Lower proinflammatory (TNF-α and IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and IL-10) levels were also detected in the AEAC+LPS group than in the Vehicle+LPS group, albeit at varying rates. Moreover, the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) members after LPS treatment was significantly recovered in the AEAC-pretreated group compared to the Vehicle+LPS group, enhancement of the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) members after LPS treatment was significantly recovered in the AEAC-pretreated group, while cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase caused by LPS treatment was less severe in the AEAC+LPS group. The increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by LPS treatment was also lower in the AEAC-pretreated group than in the Vehicle+LPS group. This is the first study to show that AEAC exerts anti-neuroinflammatory activity against LPS stimulation by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway, the cell cycle, and ROS production.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.829-837
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds on cholesterol adsorption capacity and UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity. In vitro cholesterol adsorption capacity of 2%, 5% and 10% ethanol extracts from red pepper seed groups were significantly higher than that of the control group. Sprague-Dawley strain male rats weighing $100{\pm}10$ g were randomly assigned to one normal diet N group and experimental groups fed high fat and high cholesterol diet, which were divided into HF (0.0%), HEA (0.1%), HEB (0.2%), and HEC (0.5%) groups according to the amount of ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds added to their basal diet. The body weight gain in the HF group was higher than that in the N group, and those in the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that in the HF group However, there were no statistically significant differences among the all the groups. The hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol contents in the N group was significantly lower than that in the HF group, and those in the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that in the HF group. The hepatic UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity in the N group was lower than that of the HF group and those in the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The serum total cholesterol and triglyceride contents of the HF group were significantly higher than that of the N group, and those of the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The serum HDL-cholesterol contents in all groups supplemented with the ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds were significantly higher than that of the HF group. The serum LDL-cholesterol contents of the HF group were significantly higher than that of the N group, and those of the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The fecal total cholesterol contents were significantly higher in the HF group compared to the N group, and those of the HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. The fecal triglyceride contents in the N group was higher than that of the HF group, and those of the HEA, HEB and HEC groups were lower than that of the HF group. This study suggested that the ethanol extracts from red pepper seeds have powerful health benefits by the UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity and lipid metabolism.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1422-1430
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate the modulatory effects of two prototypes of Panax ginseng saponin fractions, 20(S)-protopanaxadiol saponins (PDS) and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol saponins (PTS), on the induction of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells. For this purpose, RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS ($10{\mu}g/ml$) before, after, or simultaneously with PDS or PTS ($150{\mu}g/ml$), and the released level of nitric oxide (NO) and expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were evaluated. When RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS and ginseng saponin fractions simultaneously for 24 hr, PTS, compared to PDS, more strongly attenuated the NO production induced by LPS treatment. When the cells were pretreated with LPS for 2 hr followed by PDS or PTS treatment for 24 hr, both ginseng saponins strongly reduced NO release. The pretreatment of RAW264.7 cells with PDS or PTS for 2 hr followed by LPS treatment for 24 hr significantly attenuated the LPS-induced production of NO. PTS showed stronger inhibitory potency to NO generation than PDS. Our western blot experiment showed that both PDS and PTS ($150{\mu}g/ml$) also significantly down-regulated the expressions of iNOS and COX-2 induced by LPS treatment. Our results suggest that both PDS and PTS possess strong protective effects against LPS-stimulated inflammation and that their protective effects are mediated by the suppression of NO synthesis via down-regulation of pro-inflammatory enzymes, iNOS, and COX-2 in the RAW264.7 cells.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2011

The researchers have tried to reduce ruminal methane gas ($CH_4$) and to convert it into beneficial nutrient for several decades. This study was conducted to screen the methane-reducing vegetables among lettuce, hot pepper, spring onion, onion, turmeric, sesame leaf, garlic, radish sprout, leek and ginger nutritiously on the in vitro ruminal fermentation. The heat-treated vegetables at the 10% of substrate (timothy) were used to reduce methane production on the in vitro anaerobic experiment of 0, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h incubation time. Total gas production, pH, ammonia, $H_2$, $CO_2$, $CH_4$, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) were measured as indicators of in vitro fermentation product containing methane gas. All treatments except garlic showed a tendency to increase in total gas production. The result of ammonia showed that garlic and hot pepper affected rumen bacteria concerned protein metabolism and that lettuce and spring onion increased ammonia production. Garlic decreased $CH_4$ production in inverse proportion to $H_2$. Lettuce, spring onion, onion, garlic, radish sprout, leek and ginger increased propionate of VFA. Garlic balanced the ruminal fermentation in the pH, $H_2$, $CH_4$, acetate and propionate. This results showed that methane production at in vitro study was inhibited by heat-treated garlic supplementation. In conclusion, this study suggests that ruminal fermentation covering methane production might be controled by proper vegetables.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2016

Malachite green was measured in 200 freshwater fish collected from local markets in Seoul using HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS. LC-MS/MS method was validated by linearity, accuracy, precision and limits of detection and quantification according to the CODEX's recommendation and HPLC-DAD method was applied according to the Food Code. Malachite green levels above the quantification limit of the LC-MS/MS were determined 18.5% (37) but just 1 fish was shown to contain malachite green by HPLC-DAD. Of 83 domestic fish, 21 fish were detected malachite green (25.3%). Of 117 fish from China, just 16 fish were detected malachite green (13.4%). In detection rate by species carp (35.0%), Crucian carp (30.4%), cat fish (28.0%), Korean bull head (23.8%), snake head (20.0%), eel (10.5%) and loach (7.8%) were in order. Especially, fish collected at summer were shown to contain malachite green frequently; the detection rate was 54.8%.