• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2022

Objectives The purpose of this study is to confirm the regulate effect of T helper (Th) 2 differentiation that Sabaek-san extract may produce to improves skin lipid barrier damage. Methods Four-weeks-old NC/Nga mice were divided into four groups: control group (Ctrl, n=10), lipid barrier eliminated group (LBE, n=10), Dexamethasone treatment after lipid barrier elimination group (DXT, n=10), and Sabaek-san extract treatment group after lipid barrier elimination (SBT, n=10). Sabaek-san extract was administered for 3 d after removal of the skin fat barrier in SBT group. Then, we identified changes in external symptoms of the skin, factors affecting skin barrier such as potential of hydrogen (pH), filaggrin, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and Th2 differentiation factors like Interleukin (IL)-4, Kallikrein Related Peptidase 7 (KLK7), and protease activated receptor 2 (PAR-2) through our immunohistochemistry. Results After lipid barrier elimination, the reduction of morphological skin inflammations was less in SBT group than in LBE and DXT group. Also, pH and TEWL were significantly decreased with SBT group. However, filaggrin was significantly increased in SBT group compared to LBE, DXT, and Ctrl group. All kinds of Th2 differentiation factors (IL-4, KLK7 and PAR-2) were also decreased in SBT compared to the LBE and DXT. Conclusions As a result of this study, SBT administration decreased pH, TEWL, and increased filaggrin, thus participating in recovering damaged skin barrier. Since Th2 differentiation factors were decreased as well, SBT's regulatory effect in sequential immune reactions may be a possible explanation of how it enhances recovery of the damaged lipid barrier.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2022

Background: Neutrophilic asthma (NeuA) is usually resistant to corticosteroids. Tiotropium bromide (TIO) is a bronchodilator that is used as an add-on therapy to inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting β2 agonist in asthma treatment. However, the role of TIO in NeuA is not fully known. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TIO on NeuA compared to that of corticosteroids. Methods: C57BL/6 female mice were sensitized with ovalbumin and lipopolysaccharide to induce neutrophilic inflammation. Dexamethasone (DEX) was administered on days 14, 17, 20, and 23. TIO was inhaled on days 21, 21, and 23. On day 24, mice were sacrificed. Airway hyper-responsiveness, levels of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung homogenates, and lung tissue histopathology were compared between the two groups. Results: Neutrophil counts, T helper 2 cells (T_H2)/T_H17 cytokines, and pro-inflammatory cytokine in BAL fluids were elevated in the NeuA group. TIO group showed lower total cells, neutrophil counts, and eosinophil counts in BAL fluids than the DEX group (p<0.001, p<0.05, and p<0.001, respectively). Airway resistance was attenuated in the TIO group but elevated in the NeuA group (p<0.001). Total protein, interleukin (IL)-5, and IL-17A levels in BAL fluids were lower in the TIO group than in the NeuA group (all p<0.05). Conclusion: TIO showed more potent effects than DEX in improving airway inflammation and attenuating airway resistance in NeuA.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.11.1-11.20
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• 2022

Vibrio harveyi belongs to the Vibrio genus that causes vibriosis in marine and aquatic fish species through double-stranded DNA virus replication. In humans, around 12 Vibrio species can cause gastroenteritis (gastrointestinal illness). A large amount of virus particles can be found in the cytoplasm of infected cells, which may cause death. Despite these devastating complications, there is still no cure or vaccine for the virus. As a result, we used an immunoinformatics approach to develop a multi-epitope vaccine against most pathogenic hemolysin gene of V. harveyi. The immunodominant T- and B-cell epitopes were identified using the hemolysin protein. We developed a vaccine employing three possible epitopes: cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, helper T-lymphocytes, and linear B-lymphocyte epitopes, after thorough testing. The vaccine was developed to be antigenic, immunogenic, and non-allergenic, as well as having a better solubility. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed significant structural stiffness and binding stability. In addition, the immunological simulation generated by computer revealed that the vaccination might elicit immune reactions in the actual life after injection. Finally, using Escherichia coli K12 as a model, codon optimization yielded ideal GC content and a higher codon adaptation index value, which was then included in the cloning vector pET2+ (a). Altogether, our experiment implies that the proposed peptide vaccine might be a good option for vibriosis prophylaxis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.546-552
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• 2022

Epidermal cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is a tumor-associated antigen (TAA), which has been considered as a cancer vaccine candidate. The EpCAM protein fused to the fragment crystallizable region of immunoglobulin G (IgG) tagged with KDEL endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal (EpCAM-FcK) has been successfully expressed in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) and purified from the plant leaf. In this study, we investigated the ability of the plant-derived EpCAM-FcK (EpCAM-FcK^P) to elicit an immune response in vivo. The animal group injected with the EpCAM-FcK^P showed a higher differentiated germinal center (GC) B cell population (~9%) compared with the animal group injected with the recombinant rhEpCAM-Fc chimera (EpCAM-Fc^M). The animal group injected with EpCAM-FcK^P (~42%) had more differentiated T follicular helper cells (Tfh) than the animal group injected with EpCAM-Fc^M (~7%). This study demonstrated that the plant-derived EpCAM-FcK fusion antigenic protein induced a humoral immune response in mice.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.779-790
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• 2022

Fuzzy extractor is a biometric encryption that generates keys from biometric data where input values are not always the same due to the noisy data, and performs authentication securely without exposing biometric information. However, if a user registers biometric data on multiple servers, various attacks on helper data which is a public information used to extract keys during the authentication process of the fuzzy extractor can expose the keys. Therefore many studies have been conducted on reusable fuzzy extractors that are secure to register biometric data of the same person on multiple servers. But as the key length increases, the studies presented so far have gradually increased the number of key recovery processes, making it inefficient and difficult to utilize in security systems. In this paper, we design an efficient and reusable fuzzy extractor based on LWE with the same or similar number of times of the authentication process even if the key length is increased, and show that the proposed algorithm is reusably-secure defined by Apon et al.[5].

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.51-60
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• 2022

This study was conducted on characters who play the main character of the spin-off work based on the image in the original. Through the analysis of the original and spin-off works, the role type and characteristics according to the characters' roles were analyzed. It was analyzed that Rex, Bo Peep, and Forky, the main characters of the Toy Story spin-off works, had characteristics described in the original, which were not the main characters, and changed when they appeared in the spin-off works. First, it shows a tendency to add a new personality to play the role of the main character who solves problems and leads the story development while maintaining the existing personality characteristics in the original. Second, in order to play the main character in the spin-off work, these main characters are strongly revealed in the characteristics of the faithful type 6, and the achiever type 3, respectively. The reason why the characters' personality in the existing original have continuity is that if the personality of the existing characters change rapidly, they may contradict the audience's existing perception, preventing them from being immersed in the spin-off protagonist itself and the story development. However, the main characteristics of personality type 6 and personality type 3 are described only by considering the character's role as a helper to solve the problem and the characters' characteristics, but in order to solve the problem in spin-off, the animation producers are determined to achieve the goal. An understanding of this result will greatly help animation producers plan the character in consideration.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Purpose : There is a lack of research on this field in the Republic of Korea, especially those that have seen the effect of interaction between siblings through sensory integration therapy (SIT). Therefore, this study sought to find out the effectiveness of SIT with siblings through the Revised Knox Preschool Play Scale (RKPPS) and playtime. Methods : The experimental group consisted of 10 disabled children, and 10 normal siblings of the disabilities joined the program as a helper. In addition, 10 children with disabilities conducted the intervention as a control group. The difference between the experimental group and the control group is whether they participate with their sibling or not during the intervention period. The present study was conducted a SIT for 40 minutes per week for the experimental and the control group and then had 10 minutes of an interview with the parents of children with disabilities. A total of 10 programs were implemented for 10 weeks. Results : The experimental group showed statistically significant differences in space management, material management, pretense/symbolic, participation, and total scores. The control group showed significant differences between pre and post results in the participation and the total scores. The experimental group and the control group showed significant differences in the pre-post comparison results. The comparison of post-intervention between both groups of the RKPPS and playtime results showed a statistically significant increase in the experimental group. Conclusion : The sibling SIT showed better play level and time than the individual therapy. However, comparisons before and after the intervention in the level of play showed significant results only in participation and total scores in the control group. Clinically, it is recommended to make good use of sibling relationships when applying SIT, and if that is not possible, continuous observation is needed that children who received treatment become familiar with the environment in which they can be treated.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.657-679
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• 2021

This study aimed to explore the experience and nature of emotional care for elderly parent living alone for middle-aged adult who formed initial insecure attachment with his or her parent. To this end, 12 middle-aged people aged 45 to 60 (3 males and 9 females) were recruited as subjects of the study, interviewed in-depth, and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological research method. As a result of the study, 60 constitutive meanings, 18 themes, and 4 thematic groups were derived for the experience of middle-aged adult who experienced insecure attachment to his or her parent and caring for the emotional needs of elderly parent living alone. Thematic groups included "negative experiences that caused emotional exhaustion," "emotional driving force in emotional care," "the role of helper in parental care," and "economic and physical content in emotional care". This study is meaningful in that it revealed the phenomenon of experiences of emotional care for parent living alone by middle-aged adult who had an initial unstable attachment with his or her parent to understand them and contributed to the provision of counseling data.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.833-845
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• 2022

Although asthma is a common chronic airway disease that responds well to anti-inflammatory agents, some patients with asthma are unresponsive to conventional treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory diseases owing to their immunomodulatory properties. However, the target cells of MSCs are not yet clearly known. This study aimed to determine the effect of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) on asthmatic lungs by modulating innate immune cells and effector T cells using a murine asthmatic model. Intravenously administered hUC-MSCs reduced airway resistance, mucus production, and inflammation in the murine asthma model. hUC-MSCs attenuated not only T helper (Th) 2 cells and Th17 cells but also augmented regulatory T cells (Tregs). As for innate lymphoid cells (ILC), hUC-MSCs effectively suppressed ILC2s by downregulating master regulators of ILC2s, such as Gata3 and Tcf7. Finally, regarding lung macrophages, hUC-MSCs reduced the total number of macrophages, particularly the proportion of the enhanced monocyte-derived macrophage population. In a closer examination of monocyte-derived macrophages, hUC-MSCs reduced the M2a and M2c populations. In conclusion, hUC-MSCs can be considered as a potential anti-asthmatic treatment given their therapeutic effect on the asthmatic airway inflammation in a murine asthma model by modulating innate immune cells, such as ILC2s, M2a, and M2c macrophages, as well as affecting Tregs and effector T cells.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.859-876
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• 2023

It is known that animal-origin medicine could be one of effective treatment to remedy atopic dermatitis (AD) by controlling the cytokines. Cicadidae Periostracum (CP), the slough of Cryptotympana pustulata, has been frequently used for treating AD and skin affliction in traditional Korean Medicine. This study is aimed at investigating the ameliorating effects of CP on AD and its potential mechanism. The dinitrochlorobenzene sensitized mice were treated with CP for 2 weeks. The various biomarkers and the dermatitis scores presented that CP treatment can induce the visual and biological improvements of AD model. Pruritus, the most serious symptom of AD, which can cause repeated scratching behaviors and finally lead to lichenification, was reduced with CP treatment by regulating the inflammatory reactions. In addition, CP treatment diminished the number of mast cells that are known for causing inflammatory reactions. Moreover, it is proven that CP can decline secretion of interleukin-22, which means CP treatment has anti-inflammatory effects. CP treatment can correct the imbalance of helper T (Th)1 and Th2, downregulating thymic stromal lymphopoietin that leads to decrease of mRNA level of inflammatory cytokines. The crucial role of CP treatment is controlling of the Janus kinase 1/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway. In addition, CP treatment has the inhibitory effects on kallikrein related peptidase (KLK) 5 and KLK7. Taken together, CP treatment can ameliorate most symptoms and problems caused by AD disease, improving the AD patients' life quality.