• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.125-129
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• 2006

Two herbal medicines of the Polygonatum genus, namely Polygonati Rhizoma and Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma, are difficult to distinguish from each other through exterior morphologic aspects. Furthermore, because the standard components for physiochemical distinction have not yet been standardized, the identification of these medicines through botanic taxology is based on genetic methods of random amplified microsatellite polymorphism (RAMP). For the RAMP evaluation, we used five sets of UBC microsatellite primers 811, 818, 834, 836, 842 and random primer M1. Although no specific band that could clearly distinguish Polygonati Rhizoma from Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma was found, 11 Polygonatum plants could be divided into two groups by this method. P. sibiricum and P. stenophyllum were classified to group I and the others were to group II. As P. sibiricum and P. stenophyllum were very similar in genetic and morphologic perspective, the results suggest that P. stenophyllum belongs to the Polygonati Rhizoma family.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.348-356
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• 2011

Liriope platyphylla is a medical herb that has long been used in Korea and China to treat cough, sputum, neurodigenerative disorders, obesity and diabetes. The aims of this study were to study the antidiabetic effects of the aqueous extract of L. platyphylla (AEtLP) through pancreatic and extrapancreatic actions. AEtLP were orally administrated to ICR mice once a day for 7 days. Of three different concentrations of AEtLP, only 10% AEtLP were low toxic to liver, based on body weight and serum biochemical analyses. However, 10% AEtLP-treated mice displayed signifi cant reduction of the glucose concentration and increased insulin concentration; no changes were noted using 5% and 15% AEtLP. Also, the increase of glucose transporter (Glut)-1 expression in liver was dependent on the concentration of AEtLP, and was regulated by the phosphorylation of Akt. The lowest expression of Glut-3 was observed in 15% AEtLP treated mice, followed by 10% AEtLP- and 5% AEtLP-treated mice. This pattern of Glut-3 expression was roughly in accord with the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-teminal kinase (JNK) in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Furthermore, a signifi cant rise of the superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) was detected in AEtLP-treated mice. The fi ndings suggest that AEtLP should be considered as a diabetes therapeutic candidate to induce insulin secretion from pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells and glucose uptake in liver cells.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2006

Objectives : In the psychiatry, structured interview is very important tool to be used in epidemiological or psychopharmacological studies. However, investigators often find that the administration of comprehensive diagnostic interviews is time-consuming and expensive to be used in clinical or research settings. Considering these points, Sheehan and his colleagues developed MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) to meet the need for a brief, reliable, and valid structured diagnostic interview for psychiatric disorders. The MINI has been translated into many languages and used in many countries. Therefore, we translated the MINI into Korean and determined its validity in this study. Methods : Twohundred seventy patients and normal subjects participated in the validation of the MINI versus an expert's professional opinion. Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders including panic and other phobic disorders, and alcohol dependence were included in this study. The validity was obtained by examination whether MINI based diagnoses were compatible with diagnoses by expert psychiatrists. Results : The range of Kappa values was 0.22 (somatoform disorder) to 0.93 (bipolar disorder - past). Overall agreement between MINI and expert's diagnoses were good. The Kappa values for anxiety disorders seemed to be higher than those for other disorders. Conclusion : The MINI Korean version has the good validity. It also has potential applications as a diagnostic tool for psychiatric disorders.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2006

Effects of temperature and relative humidity on fat soluble vitamin contents in two commercial vitamin tablets ('Multivitamin Dandelion' and 'vitamin E Yarrow') were investigated. When they stored at different temperature (25, 35, and $45^{\circ}C$) with cap and stored at low relative humidity (11% RH) without cap, all fat soluble vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin E acetate and vitamin E) were stable during 24 weeks of storage period. However, when they stored at high relative humidity (75% RH and 100% RH) without cap, vitamin A acetate and vitamin E acetate dramatically disintegrated at the early stage of storage. On the other hand, vitamin E gradually decreased during storage. Therefore, stability of some fat soluble vitamins, which exist as acetate form, was highly dependent on relative humidity rather than storage temperature. Water may act as a plasticizer and increased the mobility of molecules in vitamin tablet resulting in relatively fast disintegration of some fat soluble vitamins.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1028-1034
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• 2005

Effects of temperature and relative humidity on contents of water-soluble vitamins (vitamins $B_1,\;B_2,\;B_3,\;B_6$, and C) of two commercial tablets ("Multivitamin Dandelion" and "Chewable vitamin C") were investigated. When stored at various temperatures (25, 35, and $45^{\circ}C$) with cap, all measured vitamins were stable and degraded very slowly during 24 weeks of storage; low relative humidity (11% RH) without cap also provided stability during storage period. At higher relative humidities (75 and 100% RH), contents of all water-soluble vitamins, except vitamins $B_2\;and\;B_3$, decreased significantly at early storage period. These results showed that stability of water-soluble vitamins is highly dependent on relative humidity rather than storage temperature.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.597-602
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• 2005

Quality factors of emulsified ginseng drink were determined during storage at various temperatures, and its shelf-life was predicted based on changes in emulsion stability, acidify, viscosity, and yellowness. Viscosity was highly dependent on storage temperature. Emulsion stability changed rapidly during early storage period (1st step), then slowly thereafter (2nd step). $Q_{10}$ values of emulsion stability were 2.50 and 1.38 for 1st and 2nd steps, respectively. Viscosity, acidity, and yellowness showed $Q_{10}$ values of 3.45, 1.77, and 1.99, respectively. Although $Q_{10}$ value of 2 has been generally used to predict shelf stability of food materials, our results suggest adopting same $Q_{10}$ value to predict shelf stability of emulsified ginseng drink is not appropriate.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.159-165
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• 2012

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC) are the major histological types of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Although both SCCs and ACs have been characterized histologically and clinically, the precise mechanisms underlying their migration and invasion are not yet known. Here, we address the involvement in NSCLC of the p21-associated kinase1 (Pak1)/LIM kinase1 (LIMK1)/cofilin pathway, which recently has been reported to play a critical role in tumor migration and invasion. The Pak1/LIMK1/cofilin pathway was evaluated in tumors from SCC (n=35) and AC (n=35) patients and in SCC- and AC-type cell lines by western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and in vitro migration and invasion assays. The levels of phosphorylated Pak1, LIMK1, and cofilin in lung tumor tissues from SCC patients were increased as compared to normal tissues. In addition, immunohistochemistry showed greater expression of phosphorylated cofilin in SCC tissues. Expression of phosphorylated Pak1 and LIMK1 proteins was also significantly higher in SCC-type cells than in AC-type cells. Moreover, migration and invasion assays revealed that a higher percentage of SCC type cells exhibited migration and invasion compared to AC type cells. Migration was also decreased in LIMK1 knockdown SK-MES-1 cells. These findings suggest that the activation of the Pak1/LIMK1/cofilin pathway could preferentially contribute to greater tumor migration and invasion in SCC, relative to that in AC.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.sup2
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• pp.294-299
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• 2001

Objectives : CT-guided stereotactic evacuation for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage can minimize the brain damage and can be performed safely and simply under local anesthesia. But that procedure is time consuming and has a risk of rebleeding because of the stress during head pin fixation. So authors describe easy and precise guidelines for FHA of putaminal hemorrhage without stereotactic instrument. Methods and Materials : We analyzed the data of 298 patients who underwent CT-guided stereotactic aspiration of putaminal hematoma in our hospital between January 1990 and December 2000. We divided the patients into three groups according to the location of hematoma : anterior portion, middle portion and posterior portion of putamen. Total number of catheters inserted into the hematoma were 345 and there were with regard to the direction and depth of catheters. Results : Proposed guidelines of catheter insertion to putaminal hemorrhage in our institution. 1) hematoma at the anterior portion of putamen ; Direction of catheter was the midpupillary line of the eye and the point intersecting a line drawn from the burr hole to a point between external auditory meatus(EOM) and 1cm posterior to EOM. Depth of catheter was 6-6.5cm. 2) hematoma at the middle portion of putamen ; Direction of catheter was the midpupillary line of the the eye and the point intersecting a line drawn from the burr hole to a point between 1cm and 2cm posterior to EOM. Depth of catheter was 6.5-7cm. 3) hematoma at the posterior portion of putamen ; Direction of catheter was 15 degree laterally from the midpupillary line of the eye and the point intersecting a line drawn from the burr hole to a point between 2cm and 3cm posterior to EOM. Depth of catheter was 7-7.5cm. We have performed FHA of putaminal hemorrhage in 48 cases according to this guideline. All catheter were inserted exactly at the center of hematoma and average operation time was about 30 minutes. Conclusion : Our proposed guidelines for putaminal hemorrhage are considered to be safe and simple method with similar accuracy and rapid decompression compared with traditional stereotactic method. Main advantages of this technique were unnecessity of stereotactic frame application and less time requirement for hematoma removal.

• Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research
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• v.95 no.5
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• pp.278-285
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• 2018

Purpose: We investigated the clinical outcomes of deceased donor kidney transplantation (KT) using kidneys with terminal acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: Between February 2000 and December 2013, we performed 202 deceased donor renal transplants from 159 brain dead donors. According to the expanded criteria donor (ECD) and AKI network criteria, we divided 202 recipients into 4 groups: Group I: Non-AKI & standard criteria donor (SCD) (n = 97); group II: Non-AKI & ECD (n = 15); group III: AKI & SCD (n = 52); and group IV: AKI & ECD (n = 38). Results: The incidence of delayed graft function (DFG) was significantly higher in patients with AKI than it was in the non-AKI group (P = 0.008). There were no significant differences among the 4 groups in graft survival (P = 0.074) or patient survival (P = 0.090). However, the long-term allograft survival rate was significantly lower in group IV than it was in other groups (P = 0.024). Conclusion: Allografts from deceased donors with terminal AKI had a higher incidence of DGF than did those from donors without AKI. However, there is no significant difference in graft and patient survival rates among the groups. So, the utilization of renal grafts from ECDs with terminal AKI is a feasible approach to address the critical organ shortage.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 2017

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the unknown mechanisms behind the anti- inflammatory activity of Hyeonto-dan(HT) 70% ethanol extract on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Methods : Cells were treated with Hyeonto-dan 1 h prior to addition of 200 ng/mL of LPS. Cell viability was measured by the MTS assay. Nitric oxide levels were determined by the Griess assay. $PGE_2$ were measured using EIA kit. Pro-inflammatory cytokine production was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of COX-2, iNOS, and MAPKs was investigated by Western blot, qRT-PCR. $NF-{\kappa}B$/p65 localization and interaction of the TLR-4 receptor with LPS was examined by immunofluorescence assays. Results : Hyeonto-dan had no cytotoxicity at the measured concentration. Hyeonto-dan inhibited NO production and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and PGE2 as well as the protein and mRNA expression of iNOS and COX-2. Moreover, Hyeonto-dan inhibited the interaction between LPS and TLR-4 in murine macrophages. It suppressed phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK 1/2) and p38. Finally, it inhibited translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ in response to competitive LPS. Conclusions : Based on the results of this study, Hyeonto-dan inhibited the binding of TLR-4 receptor to LPS and inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signaling pathway MAPKs. These inhibitory effects are thought that the amount of $NF-{\kappa}B$ delivered to the nucleus was decreased and the inflammatory reaction was prevented by decreasing the production of LPS-induced $PGE_2$, NO, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$.