• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.218-225
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• 2004

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to find out static two-point discrimination (TPD) in fingertips. METHODS: This was a cross-section, measure study of static two-point discrimination involving healthy young adults. Measure was completed by 48 college students in Andong Science College from June 1 to 12, 2004. The minimal distance at which two-points could be discriminated was measured from thumb to little finger. RESULTS: For dermatomal regions of the fingertip, mean values ranged from 3.3mm to 4.9mm (thumb 3.6mm, index finger 3.3mm, middle finger 3.8mm, ring finger 4.2mm, and little finger 4.7mm in the left hand; thumb 3.7mm, index 3.5mm, middle 4.0mm, ring 4.3mm, and little 4.9mm in the right hand). A significant difference in discrimination ability was found between men and women, 3.5mm for women showed a greater sensitivity than 4.1mm for men in the left middle fingertip(p=0.0109), also 3.9mm for women showed a greater accuracy than 4.5mm for men in the left ring fingertip(p=0.0388). In the right index fingertip, women (3.1mm) have a narrow distance than men (3.6mm)(p=0.0329). The minimal distance of TPD was found a significant difference between 20 and 30 years in age. 4mm for 30 years showed a greater distance than 3.5mm for 20 years in the left thumb fingertip(p=0.0354), also, 3.8mm for 30 years showed a greater distance than 3.2mm for 20 years in the left index fingertip(p=0.0174), and 4.3mm for 30 years showed a greater distance than 3.7mm for 20 years in the left middle fingertip(p=0.0444). In the right index fingertip, 20 years (3.2mm) had also a narrow distance than 30 years (4.1mm)(p=0.0020), 20 years (3.9mm) showed a narrow distance than 30 years (4.6mm) in the right middle fingertip(p=0.0124), and 20 years (4.1mm) showed a greater sensitivity than 30 years (5.0mm) in the right ring fingertip(p=0.0070). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that distance of TPD in the both index fingertips for 20 years women was significantly narrowed.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.263-268
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• 2017

${\beta}$-Agarase cleaves the ${\beta}$-1,4 linkages of agar to produce neoagarooligosaccharides (NAO), which are associated with various physiological functions. However, the immunological functions of NAO are still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that ${\beta}$-agarase DagA-produced neoagarohexaose (DP6), an NAO product, promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). DP6 directly and indirectly enhanced the activation of natural killer (NK) cells in a TLR4-dependent manner in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the antitumor activity of DP6 against B16F1 melanoma cells was inhibited in NK cell-depletion systems by using NK-cell depleting antibodies in vivo. Collectively, the results indicated that DP6 augments antitumor immunity against B16F1 melanoma cells via the activation of DC-mediated NK cells in a TLR4-dependent manner. Thus, DP6 is a potential candidate adjuvant that acts as an immune cell modulator for the treatment of melanoma.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.554-559
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• 2016

Mycobacterium abscessus, a member of the group of non-tuberculous mycobacteria, has been identified as an emerging pulmonary pathogen in humans. However, little is known about the protective immune response of antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs), which guard against M. abscessus infection. The M. abscessus gene MAB1843 encodes ᴅ-alanyl-ᴅ-alanine dipeptidase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of ᴅ-alanyl-ᴅ-alanine dipeptide. We investigated whether MAB1843 is able to interact with DCs to enhance the effectiveness of the host's immune response. MAB1843 was found to induce DC maturation via toll-like receptor 4 and its downstream signaling pathways, such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa B pathways. In addition, MAB1843-treated DCs stimulated the proliferation of T cells and promoted Th1 polarization. Our results indicate that MAB1843 could potentially regulate the immune response to M. abscessus, making it important in the development of an effective vaccine against this mycobacterium.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1817-1823
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• 2016

Areca nut (AN) chewing is a habit in many countries in Central, Southern, and Southeast Asia. It is strongly associated with the occurrence of oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal cancer as well as systemic inflammation. However, the association between AN intake and the development of gastric lesions has not yet been identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of AN on gastric diseases using a mouse model for Helicobacter pylori infection. We studied four groups of mice: those fed a normal diet (ND), those fed a diet containing 2.5% AN (AD), those fed ND and infected with H. pylori PMSS1 strain (ND/HP), and those fed AD and infected with H. pylori PMSS1 strain (AD/HP). Food intake and body weight were monitored weekly during the experiments. At 10 weeks, the mice were sacrificed, and the stomach weight, H. pylori colonization, and gastric inflammation were evaluated. The stomach weight had increased significantly in the ND/HP and AD/HP groups along with increases in H. pylori colonization; however, there was no significant difference between these two groups with respect to stomach weight and colonization. On histological grading, mononuclear cell infiltration was severer in the AD/HP group than in the ND/HP group. These data suggest that chronic gastric inflammation was aggravated by AN treatment in the mice with H. pylori-induced gastric lesions. Furthermore, as previously suggested, this animal model is useful to determine the effect of potential carcinogens on gastric lesions induced by H. pylori infection.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.360-367
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of total ginseng saponin (TGS) on the cutaneous wound healing process using histological analysis. A total of 24 ICR mice, 5-weeks-old, were used for all in vivo experiments. Mice were divided into control and TGS-treated groups and four equidistant 1-cm full-thickness dorsal incisional wounds were created. The wounds were extracted at days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-injury for histomorphometrical analysis including wound area and contracture measurements, keratinocyte migration rate, and calculation of infiltrating inflammatory cells. The results showed that the wound area was smaller and keratinocyte migration rate was higher in the TGS-treated group than that of the control group from days 3 to 7. Inflammatory cells in the TGS-treated group at days 1 and 3 were reduced compared to the control group. Wound contraction in the TGS-treated group was greater than in the control group on days 3 to 5, and collagen deposition in the TGS-treated group was higher than in the control group during wound healing. The results indicate a beneficial effect of TGS when used to treat skin wounds.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.45-111
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• 2023

This paper examines the apparition of the Virgin Mary revealed in Rue du Bac, Paris, France, in 1830, from a perspective of analytical psychology. To do so, it amplifies the archetypal motifs manifested in the images of the Virgin Mary of Rue du Bac by introducing the medieval alchemical picture titled "Glorification of the body portrayed as the coronation of the Virgin Mary" from Reusner's Pandora (1588). This image of the Virgin Mary is full of archetypal motifs that show the process and end result of individuation, which is the main idea of Jungian psychology. These symbols that depict the individuation process, both in Reusner's Pandora and in the Mary of Rue du Bac, are expressions of mythologems, constituent elements of the collective unconscious. Jung noted that these mythologems are the ultimate base and matrix of all religions. Through examining the archetypal motifs, which appear in the Mary of Rue du Bac, the apparition of the Mary turns out to be the revelation of the archetypal image of the Self in a space-time continuum, which is constellated in the collective unconscious. That is, an archetypal figure revealed itself to a witness' ego-consciousness to whom a space-time continuum functions as a cognitive category. The Mary of Rue du Bac represents the union of the opposites of divinity and humanity, which lacks in the symbolism of the Cross in Christianity. In this regard, she is an image of the new savior, who opens the new aeon of the Aquarius. The revealed image of Mary shows that divinity originates from the inner realm of the human psyche, that corporeal human beings are the matrix in which the divine incarnates, and that human being is the subject of psychological redemption. The image of Mary awakens us to the value of divinity in the human psyche in the times when the spiritual values Christianity has retained declines drastically.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.7-34
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• 2018

Purpose: The purposes of this research were to study the validity of the National Examination based on smart based test(SBT) by 7 types of healthcare occupation. Methods: We conducted a questionnaires survey among 1,219 people including 210 professors for all 7 types of healthcare occupation and 573 clinical specialists ; 436 students from random sampling participated and the reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach's alpha. Results: Professors from 7 types of healthcare occupation were investigated for their opinions on the introduction of the SBT system ; 65.9% of the professors answered positively on the introduction of the SBT National Examination System, while 40.1% of the clinical experts answered likewise. In particular, professors and the clinical experts recognized altogether that the multimedia questionnaire, being effective for the evaluation of clinical and practical competence of the subjects, enabling the evaluation of various areas and strengthening the school education in clinical practices, the 42.0% of the students from 7 departments answered that the future direction of the national test is in the SBT test system with significant difference (p=.000) found in students majoring in order of Emergency Medical Services, Radiology and Physical therapy, compared to students from other majors, showing the positive response to the SBT system. Conclusion: The results of this study comprehensively evaluated the positive recognition of development of multimedia items and SBT system in national examination of 7 types of healthcare occupation in professors, field specialists and students.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.345-354
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• 2019

Objectives: It is well-known that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among firefighters contributes to their job-related stress. However, the relationship between burnout and PTSD in firefighters has rarely been studied. This study therefore explored the association between burnout and its related factors, such as trauma and violence, and PTSD symptoms among firefighters in Korea. Methods: A total of 535 firefighters participated in the Firefighter Research on Enhancement of Safety & Health study at 3 university hospitals from 2016 to 2017. The 535 participants received a baseline health examination, including questionnaires assessing their mental health. A Web-based survey was also conducted to collect data on job-related stress, history of exposure to violence, burnout, and trauma experience. The associations among burnout, its related factors, and PTSD symptoms were investigated using structural equation modeling. Results: Job demands (${\beta}=0.411$, p<0.001) and effort-reward balance (${\beta}=-0.290$, p<0.001) were significantly related to burnout. Burnout (${\beta}=0.237$, p<0.001) and violence (${\beta}=0.123$, p=0.014) were significantly related to PTSD risk. Trauma (${\beta}=0.131$, p=0.001) was significantly related to burnout; however, trauma was not directly associated with PTSD scores (${\beta}=0.085$, p=0.081). Conclusions: Our results show that burnout and psychological, sexual, and physical violence at the hands of clients directly affected participants' PTSD symptoms. Burnout mediated the relationship between trauma experience and PTSD.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.145-157
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• 2004

The aim of the present study was to examine in detail, both at light and electron microscopical levels, the morphological variations in ameloblast of the fetal rat incisor enamel organ. Rats were started on distilled water at the beginning of pregnancy. The pups were sacrificed 11 days after delivery and animals were perfused intravascularly with glutaraldehyde and the incisors were removed. To examine on the ultrastructure of the ameloblast, the study employed primary light microscopy but electron microscopy was used to clarify some of the light microscopic finding. Longitudinal sections through the incisors of the rat show a continuous layer of ameloblasts on the labial surface of the tooth. This layer contains the entire sequence of developmental stages in enamel production. The ameloblast layer was divided into three main zones: 1) Presecretory zone, region of ameloblasts facing pulp. 2) Secretory zone, region of inner and outer enamel secretion. 3) Maturation zone, region of reduced ameloblasts. In particularly, the present study has shown that two distinctively different types of ameloblasts appear in the enamel organ during enamel maturation in the rat incisor. These two types have been designated ruffle-ended ameloblasts (rAB) and smooth-ended ameloblasts (sAB). The fluoride produces marked alteration in the fine structure of ameloblast from teeth of young rats, such as large confluent distensions of the endoplasmic reticulum and swelling of isolated mitochondria. This experimental data suggested that exposure prolonged of animal to high level of fluoride appears to induce a few dramatic changes in the normal appositional growth and initial mineralization of enamel created during amelogenesis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2018

In the present study, results of the identification of Gram-positive bacilli (GPB) were analyzed by using the MALDI-TOF MS technique to score each 2-year blood culture at a university hospital. In addition, 16S rRNA sequence analyses and MALDI-TOF MS results are compared to targeting strains that had been isolated two or more times within the same patient, to evaluate the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS in GPB identification. According to the cut-off (${\geq}1.7$) criteria, there were 410 (57.5%) reliable strains and 303 (42.5%) non-identified strains among the GPB identification results of 713 strains, using a microflex MALDI Biotyper (Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Bremen, Germany). The isolation appeared most often in the following order: Corynebacterium striatum, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Paenibacillus urinalis, and Listeria monocytogenes. Nearly three-fourths, 66 out of 89 (74.2%) of the strains for Corynebacterium striatum; 44 out of 60 (73.3%) strains for Bacillus cereus; and all (25 out of 25, 100%) Listeria monocytogenes strains were identified by their high scores of 2.0 or higher. Most (293 strains out of 303) non-identified strains were strains isolated only once and not significant as infectious bacilli. A total of 43 out of 50 (86.0%) strains matched and were able to be identified based on the 16 rRNA sequencing comparison results of strains that were isolated twice or more within the same patient and significant as infection bacilli. Non-matching among 5 out of 7 strains was not identified, even with MALDI-TOF MS. In conclusion, GPB can be identified in blood cultures using MALDI-TOF MS. This can be done accurately with ease, rapidly, and at a low cost. It is also thought to be helpful in GPB diagnosis and treatment.