• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1191-1199
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• 2020

We studied the effect of Korean medicine treatment on the clearance of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) colonization and on improvement in symptoms in a stroke patient. The patient was continuously followed up with stool VRE cultures while being treated with herbal medicine, Chunglijagam-tang, acupuncture, and oxygen therapy. We also checked the coccygeal pressure sore condition and the oxygen levels during therapy. No VRE colonization was found after treatment and the oxygen levels and pressure sores had improved. This study proved that Korean medicine treatment could be effective for the clearance of VRE colonization and improvement of symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.280-287
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• 2022

The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a fruit tree belonging to the Rosaceae family. Loquat fruit extracts from three cultivars (Tanaka, Mogi, and Jinwang) were prepared using absolute methanol and homogenization and ultrasound sonication procedures. We measured the total phenolic and flavonoid content of the fruit extracts and their antioxidant capacities. In addition, we evaluated tyrosinase activity and anti-melanogenic effects in B16F1 melanoma cells. The fruit extract from cv. Tanaka had the highest total phenolic content and showed the highest antioxidant capacity in the ABTS assay. The loquat fruit extract from cv. Jinwang had the highest total flavonoid content and showed the highest antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assay. Loquat fruit extracts from the Tanaka and Jinwang cultivars effectively inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity. The loquat fruit extracts reduced intracellular oxidative stress in B16F1 melanoma cells. Treating B16F1 melanoma cells with loquat fruit extract from cv. Tanaka at a concentration of 125 ㎍/mL effectively inhibited melanin synthesis. However, treating the B16F1 melanoma cells with loquat fruit extracts from the Jinwang and Mogi cultivars did not. These results suggest that loquat fruit extracts from the Tanaka cultivar may serve as potential sources of antioxidants and act as a skin-whitening agent.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.71-99
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the vascular flora of Masan, located in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, and to comprehend the distribution of remarkable plants such as rare and Korea endemic plants and invasive alien plants. The survey was carried out the distribution of vascular plants 11 times per season from 2010 to 2018. A total of 619 taxa in 93 families, 328 genera, 529 species, 6 subspecies, 78 varieties and 6 forms were identified on mt. Masan. Among them, Korean endemic plants are 21 taxa including Saussurea diamantica Nakai and are plants designated by the Korea Forest Service are 20 taxa counting Saxifraga octopetala Nakai. Invasive alien plants were classified a total of 35 taxa inclusive of Trifolium pratense L. (WS), Aster pilosus Willd. (SS), Coreopsis lanceolata L. (SR), Rumex obtusifolius L. (SC) and Lindernia dubia (L.) Pennell (CS). The naturalization rate was 5% and the urbanization index was 10.0%, respectively. Although this study identified the diverse distribution of major plants such as rare and endemic plants around Masan, it was confirmed that invasive alien plants, which pose a great threat to forest biodiversity conservation and promotion, spread and distributed in a specific section Therefore, it is urgent to establish a conservation strategy and countermeasures.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.169-182
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• 2022

This study was conducted to predict the distribution of rare·endemic plants (Sophora koreensis Nakai) in the border forests where wildfire damage occurred and to quantify the damage. For this purpose, we tried to derive more accurate results through forest area damage (NBR) according to the Burn severity of wildfires, damage by tree species type (Vegetation map), and MaxEnt model. For Burn severity analysis, satellite imagery (Landsat-8) was used to analyze Burn severity (ΔNBR2016-2015) and to derive the extent of damage. To prepare the Vegetation map, the land cover map prepared by the Ministry of Environment, the Vegetation map prepared by the Korea Forest Service, and the vegetation survey conducted by itself were conducted to prepare the clinical map before and after the forest fire. Lastly, for MaxEnt model analysis, the AUC value was derived by using the habitat coordinates of Sophora koreensis Nakai based on the related literature and self-report data. As a result of combining the Maxent model analysis data with the Burn severity data, it was confirmed that 45.9% of the 44,760 m² of habitat (predicted) area of Sophora koreensis Nakai in the wildfire damaged area or 20,552 m², was damaged.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.459-475
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• 2009

This study focused on abused old people who lived together with their family in community. The purposes of the study were aimed to typology the abused old people according to abuse level, investigate the characteristics by categorization, and suggest policies to improve the abused old people's quality of life. Data were collected from 1,200 old people aged above 65 years old who lived in Kyungki province, Incheon-si, Chungnam province. Among 1,200 people, 212 abused old people were analysed for the study. First, as a result of categorizing old people according to abuse level, forcefully abused and damaged group, psychologically abused and damaged group, and lukewarmly abused and damaged group were categorized. The forcefully abused and damaged group was seriously suffered from verbal and emotional abuse and noninterference, including 14.6% of the subjects. The psychologically abused and damaged group appeared high in verbal and emotional abuse, and level of noninterference, and the highest in level of depression, including half of the subjects. Lastly, the lukewarmly abused and damaged group was lower in verbal and emotional abuse, economic abuse and level of noninterference than other two groups, but higher in physical abuse and abandonment than the psychologically abused and damaged group. Policies to improve the quality of life for the abused old people based on the each group were made.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.150-159
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• 2023

To determine the toxic effects of the mirror carp, Cyprinus carpio nudus on waterborne nitric acid exposure, they were exposed to waterborne nitric acid at 0, 4, 20, 100, 500, and 2,500 mg NO₃^-/L for 96 h. The semi-lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of the scented fish by 96 hours of acute exposure to nitric acid was 1,433.54 mg NO₃^-/L. The physiological changes of waterborne nitric acid exposure on mirror carp were evaluated through hematologic properties, and RBC count showed a significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The change in the ion control ability of the mirror carp according to exposure to waterborne nitric acid was evaluated through the plasma inorganic component, and calcium and magnesium were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the plasma inorganic component. The health and stress status of the mirror carp due to exposure to waterborne nitric acid were evaluated through plasma organic ingredients, and the plasma organic component glucose showed a significantly increase (p < 0.05). Changes in liver damage and enzyme activity due to waterborne nitric acid exposure were evaluated through plasma enzyme components, the enzymatic activities of plasma AST, ALT, and ALP were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in high levels of waterborne nitric acid exposure. The results of the present study suggest that waterborne nitric acid exposure to C. carpio nudus can toxicly affect survival, hematologic properties, and plasma components.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.450-464
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• 2023

Pulse oximetry, a non-invasive technique for evaluating blood oxygen saturation, conventionally depends on isolated measurements, rendering it vulnerable to factors like illumination profile, spatial blood flow fluctuations, and skin pigmentation. Previous efforts to address these issues through imaging systems often employed red and near-infrared illuminations with distinct profiles, leading to inconsistent ratios of transmitted light and the potential for errors in calculating spatial oxygen saturation distributions. While an integrating sphere was recently utilized as an illumination source to achieve uniform red and near-infrared illumination profiles on the sample surface, its bulkiness presented practical challenges. In this work, we have enhanced the pulse oximetry imaging system by transitioning illumination from an integrating sphere to a multi-wavelength LED configuration. This adjustment ensures simultaneous emission of red and near-infrared light from the same position, creating a homogeneous illumination profile on the sample surface. This approach guarantees consistent patterns of red and near-infrared illuminations that are spatially uniform. The sustained ratio between transmitted red and near-infrared light across space enables precise calculation of the spatial distribution of oxygen saturation, making our pulse oximetry imaging system more compact and portable without compromising accuracy. Our work significantly contributes to obtaining spatial information on blood oxygen saturation, providing valuable insights into tissue oxygenation in peripheral regions.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2024

This study was conducted to identify the community structure of two outstanding forest wetlands in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, and to investigate their succession trends. vegetation survey was conducted using the Z-M phytosociological method From May to October, 2023, and based on this data, the Actual vegetation map was created by categorizing communities. This resulted in the classification of six communities. namely, Rhynchospora faberi community, Alnus japonica-Molinia japonica community, Ilex crenata-M. japonica community, M. japonica community, A. japonica-Pinus densiflora community and A. japonica community. The results of each layer's importance value (IV) analysis results indicated that in the R. faberi community, that of R. faberi, an obligate wetland plant, was high. In the subtree and shrub layers of the other five communities, A. japonica, a key species in wetland ecosystems, and Pinus densiflora and I. crenata, both obligate upland plants, exhibited higher IV. In the herb layer, the IV of M. japonica, a representative species of intermediate wetlands, was notably high. The results of classifying all observed plant species in the survey area based on their wetland preference revealed that in the R. faberi community, the occurrence rate of obligate wetland plants was high. However, in the other five communities, the occurrence rate of obligate upland plants was predominantly observed. Excluding the R. faberi community, in the other five communities constituting the outstanding forest wetlands, the occurrence rate of upland plants among the forest plants was high. It was observed that M. japonica which typically appears during the transition of wetlands to drier stages, was flourishing, indicating that the wetland was undergoing vegetation succession and terrestrialization.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.116-125
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• 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic is not over despite the emergency use authorization as can see recent COVID-19 daily confirmed cases. The viruses are not only difficult to diagnose and treat due to random mutations, but also pose threat human being because they have the potential to be exploited as biochemical weapons by genetic manipulation. Therefore, it is inevitable to the rapid antibody-based therapeutic platform to quickly respond to future pandemics by new/re-emerging viruses. Although numerous researches have been conducted for the fast development of antibody-based therapeutics, it is sometimes hard to respond rapidly to new viruses because of complicated expression or purification processes for antibody production. In this study, a novel rapid antibody-based therapeutic platform using single B cell sorting method and mRNA-antibody. High immunogenicity was caused to produce antibodies in vivo through mRNA-antigen inoculation. Subsequently, antigen-specific antibody candidates were selected and obtained using isolation of B cells containing antibody at the single cell level. Using the antibody-based therapeutic platform system in this study, it was confirmed that novel antigen-specific antibodies could be obtained in about 40 days, and suggested that the possibility of rapid response to new variant viruses.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.1
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• pp.253-262
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• 2023

Purpose To assess the clinicoradiological features of pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included immunocompetent patients who had been diagnosed with pulmonary cryptococcosis on the histopathologic exam and underwent chest CT between January 2008 and November 2019. Imaging features were divided into major imaging patterns, distributions, and ancillary imaging findings. Univariable analysis was performed to evaluate clinicoradiological features according to the presence of serum cryptococcal antigen. Results Thirty-one patients were evaluated (mean age: 60 years, range: 19-78 years). A single nodular lesion confined to a single lobe was the most common imaging pattern (14/31, 45.2%). Serum cryptococcal antigen tests were performed in 19 patients (19/31, 61.3%). The presence of serum cryptococcal antigen was observed in six patients (6/19, 31.6%), all of whom showed a consolidation-dominant pattern. The presence of serum cryptococcal antigen was significantly associated with the consolidationdominant pattern compared to those associated with a nodule-dominant pattern (p = 0.011). Conclusion A combination of CT findings of consolidation and a positive serum cryptococcal antigen test may be helpful for diagnosing pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients.