• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2011

A peristaltic micropump with lightweight piezo-composite actuator (LIPCA) membrane valves is presented. The micropump contained three cylinder chambers that were connected by microchannels and two active membrane valves. A circular miniature LIPCA was developed and manufactured to be used as actuating diaphragms. The LIPCA diaphragm acted as an active membrane valve that alternate between open and closed positions at the inlet and outlet in order to produce high pumping pressure. In this LIPCA, a lead zirconium titanate ceramic with a thickness of 0.1 mm was used as an active layer. The results confirmed that the actuator produced a large out-of-plane deflection. During the design process, a coupled field analysis was conducted in order to predict the actuating behavior of the LIPCA diaphragm; the behavior of the actuator was investigated from both a theoretical and experimental perspective. The active membrane valve concept was introduced as a means for increasing pumping pressure, and microelectromechanical system techniques were used to fabricate the peristaltic micropump. The pumping performance was analyzed experimentally in terms of the flow rate, pumping pressure and power consumption.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.105-118
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• 2018

Generic medicine (GM), which is an alternative drug product for branded medicine (BM), is used less in Japan than in other OECD countries. Therefore, we investigate why the medical consumers of Japan avoid the use of GMs even though the efficacy and safety of the medicines have already been proven. We theorize that effectiveness or risk of GMs are related to the consumer attitude toward GMs is affected by the behavioral approach/activation system (BAS) which promotes actions to reach the desired state, and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) which suppresses behaviors to avoid negative outcomes. To see which of the BAS and BIS dimensions are related to GM usage, we surveyed 374 Japanese consumers and found that Quality, Efficacy, Safety, & Cost-effectiveness with the BAS, and Functional Risk, Financial Risk, Social Risk, Physical Risk, Psychological Risk, & Time Risk with the BIS had a significant effect on consumer attitude to GMs. These results are important in that they 1), confirm the role of BAS/BIS in attitudes to GMs, 2), provide guidelines when marketing GMs, 3), help governments promote the use of GMs as a cost-saving measure, and 4), guide future surveys regarding consumer attitudes to GMs.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.244-249
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• 2012

Angelica acutiloba is one of the most intensively cultivated medicinal plants in Korea. The roots of this plant have been used as an important herbal drug, especially for the treatment of various female disorders, as the traditional therapy in Korea and other Asian countries. Consumption of its fresh leaves as a healthy vegetable has recently increased. In this study, essential oil fractions were extracted from the roots and leaves of this plant by steam distillation. Compositions of the two oils were compared by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activities of the essential oil were determined against three strains of Escherichia coli. DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power tests were performed to evaluateits antioxidant activities. The cytotoxic activities of the essential oil against a human breast and a uterine cancer cell line were estimated by MTT tests. Additionally, the morphological changes after treatment of the oil fraction were observed under a microscope. The essential oil fraction and its main components, Z-ligustilide and butylidene phthalide, inhibited the growth of three E. coli strains examined, with minimum inhibiting concentrations (MICs) ranging from 1.0 mg/ml to 8.0 mg/ml. Additionally, the essential oil fraction of A. acutiloba exhibited significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reducing power. Significant cytotoxic activities of the A. acutiloba essential oil were observed for human uterine (Hela) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 1993

The medicinal plants used traditional medicines are classified into two groups. The first group is formulary medicine which have been recorded on authorized books, for example, kampo drug in Japan. The second group is the fork medicines. These medicinal plants production is 165 billion yen(about 1.5 billion dollar) and which rate to to total pharmaceutical production is about 3% in 1990. The number of important medicinal plants treated in the market is 124 herbs from the total 364 herbs for kampo durgs(210 preparations kampo durgs) and other propritetary drugs (agents for common cold, laxatives, gastrointestional and so on). The production of the Ginseng and Bupleurum Root are increased about ten times in last twelve years(1976 or 1988). The 80% of these medicinal plants are imported from China, Korea and Southern Asian countries. Then the Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau of Ministry of Health and Welfare published "The Guideline of Medicinal Plant for Cultivation" for a quality control and a stabilization supply of 80 herbs. The first part(1992) of the guideline reported 5 herbs; Coptis Rhizome, Rehmannia Root, Bupleur, Root, Japanese Angelica Root and Rhubarb, The next part will be published following 5herbs; Cnidium Rhizome, Safflower, Coix seed and Fruiet, Platicodon Root and Zedoary.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1987.06a
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• pp.47-58
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• 1987

Ethanol exerts different effects on hepatic cellular metabolism, depending mainly on the duration of its intake. In the presence of ethanol following an acute load, a number of hepatic functions are inhibited, including lipid oxidation and microsomal drug metabolism. In its early stages, chronic ethanol consumption produces adaptive metabolic changes in the endoplasmic reticulum which result in increased metabolism of ethanol and drugs and accelerated lipoprotein production. Prolongation of ethanol intake may result in injurious hepatic lesions such as alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis A number of such metabolic effects of ethanol are directly linked to the two major products of its oxidation; hydrogen and acetaldehyde. The excess hydrogen from ethanol unbalances the liver cell's chemistry. In the presence of excess hydrogen ions the process is turned in a different direction. In this study, it was attempted to observe the effect of ginseng saponins on alcohol Oehydrogenase(ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH) and microsomal ethanol oxidizing system(MEOS) in vivo as well as in vitro. Furthermore, the effect of ginseng saponin on the hydrogen balance in the liver and the hepatic cellular distribution of (1-14C) ethanol, its incorporation into acetaldehyde and lipids was also investigated. It seemed that ginseng saponin stimulated the above enzymes and other related enzymes in ethanol metabolism, resulting in a rapid removal of acetaldehyde and excess hydrogen from the animal body,

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 1994

The detoxifying properties of cruciferous vegetables components have been the subject of several recent investigations. Evidences from many biochemical and pharmacological studies indicated that higher consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with lower incidence of harmful actions such as hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in animal and human populations. Recently, it has been reported that drug metabolizing and detoxifying enzyme activities were increased by cruciferous vegetable extract in which sinigrin is known to be a main active component, accounting for about 2 to 3 percents of total extract. The detoxifying effect of sinigrin has been well reported in several literatures. The metabolism of sinigrin in animal, however, has not been reported yet. That led us to study the metabolism of sinigrin in rat. Sinigrin is nown to be metabolized into three compounds, i.e., allyl isothiocyanate, glucose and potassium phosphate in cruciferous vegetables. Allyl isothiocyanate was formed in rat hepatic mitochondrial fraction in dose and incubation time dependent manner, that was confirmed by HPLC. Glucose formation was came up with results similar to that of allyl isothiocyanate. Three hours after i.p. administration of sinigrin to rat, allyl isothiocyanate appeared in rat liver, and five hours later it was detected in liver and blood. The above results suggested that sinigrin might be metabolized into allyl isothiocyanate, glucose and potassium phosphate in rat.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.219-221
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• 2002

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was determined in both domestic Korean and imported beers, from the Netherlands, USA, Japan, Belgium and Germany. Among the 8 kinds of Korean beers, 4 were contaminated with NDMA, and 4 were not. The average concentration of NDMA detected in Korean beers was 0.78 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg and the maximum NDMA concentration was 5.73 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg. NDMA was only detected in one imported beer, which had a concentration of 5.29 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg. Assuming an average concentration of 0.78 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg NDMA in Korean domestic beer, the average daily intake of NDMA through domestic beer consumption by a typical Korean is approximately 0.58 $\mu\textrm{g}$/person/day.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.549-561
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• 2018

Ginseng has been traditionally used for several millennia in Asian countries, including Korea, China, and Japan, not only as a nourishing and tonifying agent but also as a therapeutic agent for a variety of diseases. In recent years, the various effects of red ginseng including immunity improvement, fatigue relief, memory improvement, blood circulation improvement, antioxidation, mitigation of menopausal women's symptoms, and anticancer an effect have been reported in clinical as well as basic research. Around the world, there is a trend of the rising consumption of health functional foods on the level of disease prevention along with increased interest in maintaining health because of population aging and the awareness of lifestyle diseases and chronic diseases. Red ginseng occupies an important position as a health functional food. But till now, international ginseng monographs including those of the World Health Organization have been based on data on white ginseng and have mentioned red ginseng only partly. Therefore, the red ginseng monograph is needed for component of red ginseng, functionality certified as a health functional food in the Korea Food and Drug Administration, major efficacy, action mechanism, and safety. The present red ginseng monograph will contribute to providing accurate information on red ginseng to agencies, businesses, and consumers both in South Korea and abroad.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.133-153
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• 2000

The egg's interior quality is one of the most important criteria for commercial producers and consumers. Internal quality is complex, including aesthetic factors such as taste, freshness, nutritional and processing values, and the genetic influences upon these upon these factors ranges from none to considerable. The rate of cholesterol synthesis in the hen is very high compared to other animals and humans. Genetic selection, diet drugs and other chemicals can alter cholesterol concentration in the plasma of laying hen, but attempts to manipulate the cholesterol concentration in the egg yolk are generally unsuccessful since the cholesterol can only be changed to a small extent. Factors which may affect the degree of pigmentation of the yolk include the type of xanthophyll and its concentration in the feed, the feed composition, and the health of the hen. Several feed ingredients interact with carotenoid pigment to improve or reduce their deposition rates in yolks. Egg weight is determined by genetics, body size prior to first egg housing density, environmental temperature, lighting program, total feed consumption, calcium, phosphorus, niacin, water, methionine, total sulfur amino acids, energy, linoleic acid, fat and protein levels. Eggs need to be promote levels. Eggs need to be promoted a versatile commodity and new processed egg items need to be developed. Organic eggs are laid by hens which were raised in chemical and drug frdd environments. There are still difficulties in producing these eggs due to the availability of organic poultry feeds and cost of organic grains.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1785-1788
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• 2006

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) may progress to advanced liver disease. The diagnosis is made on liver biopsy when investigating a patient with raised transaminases and an otherwise negative biochemical and serological work-up. The subject was a obese male patient who had unexplained raised GOT, GPT. He had no alcoholic consumption and drug ingested. On serological examination, HBsAg and Anti-HCV test are negative. The subject was diagnosed as NASH, and was treated with oriental treatment for obesity. After 2months treatment the raised GOT, GPT decreased to normal range.