• Journal of Koreanology Reviews
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2022

HunMinJeongEum, meaning "the right sound to teach the people," was created in 1443 CE by King Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty. In today's modern language, this letter, called Hangeul, is internationally recognized for its linguistic science. However, it is hard to find a comprehensive study on the fact that King Sejong himself created Hangeul, the Confucian perspective on natural disasters and democracy revealed in the process of writing, the independent efforts emphasized from a certain period, and the achievements of King Sejong, who shared the sorrow of the people and carried out national policies despite the extreme opposition of the nobility. Accordingly, I analyzed the consonants of HunMinJeongEum and looked at the essence of humanity and oriental philosophy (Yin-Yang Five Elements, Sangsu Philosophy, Hado). Surprisingly, different meanings from previous studies and interpretations were found, and King Sejong's "Da Vinci Code," which was left behind in the process of making the consonant, is reinterpreted and revealed. King Sejong's achievements were all connected as one. This is the root of democracy in the Republic of Korea today, and this is why King Sejong was selected as the most beloved and respected historical figure by the Korean people. This study will start with more people's understanding of the fundamental perception and philosophy of the world in Asia, including Korea, to reinterpret and reveal the hardships and great achievements experienced by a leader of a country in the process of creating korean alphabet, and to emphasize democracy, which is an important value for Asians and Westerners' mutual respect and co-prosperity.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2023

Objectives: Epidemiological evidence linking long working hours and shift work to metabolic syndrome remains inadequate. We sought to evaluate the impact of reducing working hours on metabolic syndrome. Methods: We compared the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among male manual workers in a manufacturing company (N = 371) before and after the introduction of policy to reduce daily work hours from 10 to 8 hours. Components of metabolic syndrome were measured in periodic health examinations before the intervention, 6-9 months after, and 1.5-2 years after the intervention. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate changes in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Analyses were stratified by day work versus shift work. Results: The results showed a significantly decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome 6-9 months following the intervention in day workers (risk ratio = 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.88), but the benefit disappeared after 1.5-2 years. Shift workers showed a decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome for the whole follow-up duration after the intervention, although the change was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Reducing working hours was associated with short-term improvement in metabolic syndrome in male manual workers.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2024

The stomach has emerged as a crucial endocrine organ in the regulation of feeding since the discovery of ghrelin. Gut-derived hormones, such as ghrelin and cholecystokinin, can act through the vagus nerve. We previously reported the satiety effect of hypothalamic clusterin, but the impact of peripheral clusterin remains unknown. In this study, we administered clusterin intraperitoneally to mice and observed its ability to suppress fasting-driven food intake. Interestingly, we found its synergism with cholecystokinin and antagonism with ghrelin. These effects were accompanied by increased c-fos immunoreactivity in nucleus tractus solitarius, area postrema, and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Notably, truncal vagotomy abolished this response. The stomach expressed clusterin at high levels among the organs, and gastric clusterin was detected in specific enteroendocrine cells and the submucosal plexus. Gastric clusterin expression decreased after fasting but recovered after 2 hours of refeeding. Furthermore, we confirmed that stomachspecific overexpression of clusterin reduced food intake after overnight fasting. These results suggest that gastric clusterin may function as a gut-derived peptide involved in the regulation of feeding through the gut-brain axis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.14-23
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• 2020

Classic galactosemia is a rare genetic disorder in Korea and the mutation spectrum in Koreans differs from that of Caucasians and non-Caucasian Americans. Classic galactosemia is considered a metabolic complication that is preventable by early detection via newborn screening and dietary treatment. In this most recent case of Korean galactosemia, the patient showed early initiation of clinical symptoms, which manifested during the neonatal period. The patient achieved normalization via diet management to correct metabolic complications. In addition, we assessed the characteristics of mutations in 25 Korean galactosemia cases via a literature review of studies associated with classic galactosemia.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.168-175
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of water extract of Dioscoreae Rhizome on the reproduction activity of Wistar male rat. The group treated with 1.0 g/kg/day oral administrations of water extract of Dioscoreae Rhizoma (SK0l6) during 8 weeks was compared with the normal group. Sperm count, sperm motility, body weight, and testis weight were investigated in two groups. Sperm count. body weight, and testis weight of two groups did not show the significant difference. But sperm motility of the treated group was reduced significantly (the normal group: 56.43 %, SK0l6 group: 53.47 %, p < 0.05). According to the results, SK0l6 have no effects on sperm count, body weight. and testis weight but reduced sperm motility significantly.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2006

The natural plants were screened for new cosmetic materials. Many parts of Nelumbo nucifera has been investigated for anti-wrinkling and anti-furrowing effects. The leaves. flowers and stamens of Nelumbo nucifera were extracted with ethanol or distilled water. The effects of cell viability and $H_2O_2-induced$ cytotoxicity were studied on CCD-986sk human fibroblast cell line by MTT assay. We measured various effects related to skin such as the synthesis of MMP-1 and type I procollagen. The ethanol extract of Nelumbo nucifera leaves (ENL) at concentrations of 30 ${\mu}g/ml$ showed maximum cell viability on CCD-986sk cells by 129.70%. and $H_2O_2-induced$ cytotoxicity was blocked by ENL (5. 10. 20. 30. and 40 ${\mu}g/ml$) concentration-dependently. The synthesis of MMP-1 and type I procollagen were positive in ENL. These results suggest that ENL has anti-oxidant and anti-furrowing effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.572-574
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• 2006

The Dangguibohyel-tang (DBT) was used to treat anemia in traditional Korean medicine. Acute oral toxicity of DBT was studied in ICR mice. ICR mice were administered orally with dosages of 100 mg/kg (low dosage group), 200 mg/kg (middle dosage group), and 400 mg/kg (high dosage group) of DBT. We daily examined number of deaths, clinical signs, body weights and gross findings for 14 days. DBT did not show any toxic effect in ICR mice and oral LD50 value was over 400 mg/kg in ICR mice.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2008

Purpose : Since PBL was first developed by Howard Barrows at McMaster, it has been adopted as one of the best teaching and learning methods in medical schools throughout the world. However, the educational superiority of PBL relative to traditional approaches is less clear. Given the somewhat extensive resources required for the operation of PBL curriculum, this gives reason for concern. The aim of this study is to review experiences of PBL in other medical schools and learn how to implement PBL in our school. Methods : This study was undertaken in two stages. In the first stage, PBL curricular examples in 7 medical schools (University of Pennsylvania, University of Melbourne, University of Maastricht, McMaster University, Flinders University, Harvard medical school. University of California at L.A.) were collected and summarized. In the second stage, a careful search for articles of journals published since 2000 regarding PBL group assessment, effectiveness of PBL and group facilitation skills was conducted. Results : PBL is generally introduced in a core curriculum in undergraduate medical education. Relating to small group assessment, the perception of students has been well developed. but the current PBL assessment tool needs to be revised, to develop thinking skills of students. The PBL graduates considered themselves as having much better interpersonal skills, better competencies in problem solving and self-directed learning than the non-PBL graduates. Tutors used various techniques to raise awareness, facilitate the group process and direct learning. Conclusions : The following three aspects can be regarded as important in this study. First, to implement PBL in our school more effectively, it might be considered, which curriculum content can be best learned with PBL. Second, to enhance students' thinking skills during PBL, a new assessment tool needs to be developed. Third, tutors' competencies are important to facilitate, group process, so it would be worthwhile including in staff development.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.1155-1158
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to examine the cytotoxicity of species of Angelica (Angelicas Radix; the root of Angelica gigas Nakai, A. sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, and A. acutiloba Kitag.) on HepG2 cells. The water extracts of roots of Angelica gigas (WAG), A. sinensis (WAS), and A. acutiloba (WAA) were studied for HepG2 cell viability by a modified MTT assay in the concentrations of 5, 10, 50, 100, 250, 500 ug/ml for 24, 48, 72 h. WAG and WAS did not reduced the cell viability significantly. But WAA reduced the cell viability in the concentration of 500 ug/ml for 24 h (85.45%), 48 h (75.01%). In conclusion, WAG and WAS have not the significant cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells in the suitable dose.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2020

Transient receptor potential canonical 4 (TRPC4) channel is a nonselective calcium-permeable cation channels. In intestinal smooth muscle cells, TRPC4 currents contribute more than 80% to muscarinic cationic current (mIcat). With its inward-rectifying current-voltage relationship and high calcium permeability, TRPC4 channels permit calcium influx once the channel is opened by muscarinic receptor stimulation. Polyamines are known to inhibit nonselective cation channels that mediate the generation of mIcat. Moreover, it is reported that TRPC4 channels are blocked by the intracellular spermine through electrostatic interaction with glutamate residues (E728, E729). Here, we investigated the correlation between the magnitude of channel inactivation by spermine and the magnitude of channel conductance. We also found additional spermine binding sites in TRPC4. We evaluated channel activity with electrophysiological recordings and revalidated structural significance based on Cryo-EM structure, which was resolved recently. We found that there is no correlation between magnitude of inhibitory action of spermine and magnitude of maximum current of the channel. In intracellular region, TRPC4 attracts spermine at channel periphery by reducing access resistance, and acidic residues contribute to blocking action of intracellular spermine; channel periphery, E649; cytosolic space, D629, D649, and E687.