• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.395-405
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• 2014

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate 1) somatotopic arrangement of the second and third fingers in SI area 2) difference of neural activation in the SI area produced by stimulation with different frequencies 3) correlation between the intensity of tactile perception by different stimulus intensity and the level of brain activation measurable by means of fMRI. Background: Somatosensory cortex can obtain the information of environmental stimuli about "where" (e.g., on the left palm), "what" (e.g., a book or a dog), and "how" (e.g., scrub gently or scrub roughly) to organism. However, compared to visual sense, the neural mechanism underlying the processing of specific electrotactile stimulus is still unknown. Method: 10 right-handed subjects participated in this study. Non-painful electrotactile stimuli were delivered to two different finger tips of right hand. Functional brain images were collected from 3.0T MRI using the single-shot EPI method. The scanning parameters were as follows: TR and TE were 3000, 35ms, respectively, flip angle 60, FOV $24{\times}24cm$, matrix size $64{\times}64$, slice thickness 4mm (no gap). SPM5 was used to analyze the fMRI data. Results: Significant activations produced by the stimulation were found in the SI, SII, the subcentral gyrus, the precentral gyrus, and the insula. In all participants, statistically significant activation was observed in the contralateral SI area and the bilateral SII areas by the stimulation on the fingers but ipsilaterally dominant. The SI area representing the second finger generally located in the more lateral and inferior side than that of the third finger across all the subjects. But no difference in brain area was found for the stimulation of the fingers by different frequencies. And two typical patterns were observed on the relationship between the perceived psychological intensity and the amount of voxels in the primary sensory cortex during the stimulation. Conclusion: It was possible to discriminate the representation sites in the SI by electrotactile stimulation of digit2 and digit3. But we could not find the differences of the brain areas according to different stimulation frequencies from 3 to 300Hz. Application: The results of the study can provide a deeper understanding of somatosensory cortex and offer the information for tactile display for blinds.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.228-234
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• 2015

Using either the apical or axillary bud of the endangered species Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai, we tested the effect of bud position and culture method on shoot proliferation and rooting. In shoot proliferation, the axillary bud explant was more effective than the apical bud and the effect was fostered by BA treatment, whereas no differences were observed in shoot elongation by the explant position. Spontaneous rooting was observed in the MS basal medium and resulted in conspicuous differences in the explant position : more than 80% in apical bud explant and 28% in axillary bud explant was achieved, respectively. The positional effects were also observed in BA pre-treatments: generally vertical culture method appeared to be better in shoot proliferation, growth, and rooting than that of the horizontal culture method regardless of the BA pre-treatment duration. The highest shoot multiplication was achieved through the vertical culture method with axillary bud explant, whereas the best shoot elongation and rooting was obtained using the vertical culture method with the apical bud explant. Apical bud explant was superior to axillary bud explant in ex vitro micro-cuttings and revealed a significant difference in shoot growth and root development. The above results suggest that explant position and culture method influence the efficiency of micropropagation for a rare and endangered plant Abeliophyllum distichum.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.362-366
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to compare the anticancer activity of glucosinolates against four different cancer cells; SNU-251, SNU-354, SNU-C4, MCF-7 and to determine the amounts of glucosinolates in mustard leaves. Green and red mustard leaves were cultivated on the field of Rural Development Administration from May to July, 2010. After the leaves were harvest and lypophilized, the fine powder was extracted with boiling 70% methanol(v/v) for the measurement of anticancer activity and then applied to the cancer cells obtained from Korean Cell Line Bank(KCLB). The anticancer activity of red leaf mustard was higher than that of green mustard leaf, particularly in SNU-251 for 24 hr and in SNU-C4 for 48 hr. In both green and red mustard leaf, sinigrin was the most abundant glucosinolte and was determined as 4.71 and 3.06 mg/g dry wt., respectively, but glucoiberin only presented 0.14 mg/g dry wt. with minor amounts.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1493-1498
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide with a rising incidence rate in most countries. Considering the increase in life expectancy and change in lifestyle of Iranian women, this study investigated the age-adjusted trend of breast cancer incidence during 2000-2009 and predicted its incidence to 2020. Materials and Methods: The 1997 and 2006 census results were used for the projection of female population by age through the cohort-component method over the studied years. Data from the Iranian cancer registration system were used to calculate the annual incidence rate of breast cancer. The age-adjusted incidence rate was then calculated using the WHO standard population distribution. The five-year-age-specific incidence rates were also obtained for each year and future incidence was determined using the trend analysis method. Annual percentage change (APC) was calculated through the joinpoint regression method. Results: The bias adjusted incidence rate of breast cancer increased from 16.7 per 100,000 women in 2000 to 33.6 per 100,000 women in 2009. The incidence of breast cancer had a growing trend in almost all age groups above 30 years over the studied years. In this period, the age groups of 45-65 years had the highest incidence. Investigation into the joinpoint curve showed that the curve had a steep slope with an APC of 23.4% before the first joinpoint, but became milder after this. From 2005 to 2009, the APC was calculated as 2.7%, through which the incidence of breast cancer in 2020 was predicted as 63.0 per 100,000 women. Conclusions: The age-adjusted incidence rate of breast cancer continues to increas in Iranian women. It is predicted that this trend will continue until 2020. Therefore, it seems necessary to prioritize the prevention, control and care for breast cancer in Iran.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.127-127
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• 2017

Aluminum is the most abundant metallic element in the Earth's crust and considered as the most limiting factor for plant productivity in acidic soils. The inhibition of root growth is recognized as the primary effect of Al toxicity. Seeds of wheat cv. Keumkang (Korean cultivar) were germinated on petridish for 5 days and then transferred hydroponic apparatus which was treated with $0{\mu}M$ $AlCl_3$ (control), $100{\mu}M$ $AlCl_3$ and $150{\mu}M$ $AlCl_3$ for 5 days. The length of roots, shoots and fresh weight of wheat seedlings were decreased under aluminum stress. The concentrations of $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$ and $Ac^{2+}$ were decreased whereas $Al^{3+}$ and $P_2O_5{^-}$ concentration was increased under aluminum stress. Using confocal microscopy, the fluorescence intensity of aluminum was increased with morin staining. In this study, a proteome analysis was performed to identify proteins, which is responsible to aluminum stress in wheat roots. In 10-day-old seedlings, proteins were extracted from roots and separated by 2-DE, stained by CBB. Using image analysis, a total of 47 differentially expressed protein spots were selected, whereas 19 protein spots were significantly up-regulated such as s-adenosylmethionine, oxalate oxidase, malate dehydrogenase, cysteine synthase, ascorbate peroxidase and 28 protein spots were significantly down-regulated such as heat shock protein 70, o-methytransferase 4, enolase, amylogenin by aluminum stress following protein spots analyzed by LTQ-FTICR mass spectrometry. The results provide the global picture of Al toxicity-induced alterations of protein profiles in wheat roots, and identify the Al toxicity-responsive proteins related to various biological processes that may provide some novel clues about plant Al tolerance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.124-124
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• 2017

Cadmium (Cd) is of particular concern because of its widespread occurrence and high toxicity and may cause serious morpho-physiological and molecular abnormalities in in plants. The present study was performed to explore Cd-induced morpho-physiological alterations and their potentiality associated mechanisms in Sorghum bicolor leaves at the protein level. Ten-day-old sorghum seedlings were exposed to different concentrations (0, 100, and $150{\mu}M$) of $CdCl_2$, and different morpho-physiological responses were recorded. The effects of Cd exposure on protein expression patterns in S. bicolor were investigated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) in samples derived from the leaves of both control and Cd-treated seedlings. The observed morphological changes revealed that the plants treated with Cd displayed dramatically altered shoot lengths, fresh weights, and relative water content. In addition, the concentration of Cd was markedly increased by treatment with Cd, and the amount of Cd taken up by the shoots was significantly and directly correlated with the applied level of Cd. Using the 2-DE method, a total of 33 differentially expressed protein spots were analyzed using MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Of these, treatment with Cd resulted in significant increases in 15 proteins and decreases in 18 proteins. Significant changes were absorbed in the levels of proteins known to be involved in carbohydrate metabolism, transcriptional regulation, translation and stress responses. Proteomic results revealed that Cd stress had an inhibitory effect on carbon fixation, ATP production and the regulation of protein synthesis. In addition, the up-regulation of glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P450 may play a significant role in Cd-related toxicity and stress responses. Our study provides insights into the integrated molecular mechanisms involved in response to Cd and the effects of Cd on the growth and physiological characteristics of sorghum seedlings. The upregulation of these stress-related genes may be candidates for further research and use in genetic manipulation of sorghum tolerance to Cd stress.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.579-585
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of potassium silicate on the growth and leaf epidermal characteristics of horticultural crops viz., begonia (Begonia semperflorens Link et Otto) 'Super Olympia Red' and 'Super Olympia Rose' and pansy (Viola ${\times}$ wittrockiana Hort.) 'Matrix White Blotch' and 'Matrix Yellow Blotch' in vitro. Seeds after germination were grown on a quarter strength MS medium supplemented with potassium silicate ($K_2SiO_3$) at 0, 100, 200, or $300mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and were maintained under a photoperiod of 16 hours at $25^{\circ}C$. Growth parameters such as plant height, root length, chlorophyll content, fresh, and dry weights have been recorded after a growth period of 58 days for begonia and 94 days for pansy. In begonia, fresh weight was significantly greatest in the $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ $K_2SiO_3$ treatment in both 'Super Olympia Red' and 'Super Olympia Rose'. In both pansy cultivars, fresh weight was the greatest in the $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ $K_2SiO_3$ treatment than other treatments. Chlorophyll content was significantly greater in the $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ $K_2SiO_3$ treatment for both the cultivars of begonia. Leaf area significantly increased with the higher concentrations of $K_2SiO_3$ treatment in both cultivars of pansy. Stomatal structures on the leaf epidermis were observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In begonia 'Super Olympia Rose', the structure of stomata were more compact in size in the $300mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ $K_2SiO_3$ treatment than in the control. Similarly, in pansy 'Matrix White Blotch' the surface of stomata appeared to be smoother in the $300mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ $K_2SiO_3$ treatment than those wrinkled appearance in the control. The surface of the leaf epidermis appeared to be compact due to Si deposition, and thus results indicated that Si positively affected the growth and biomass production of these species. Our data show that the effect of Si on growth parameters is strongly dependent on cultivar of the plant species tested.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2016

Propionic acidemia (PA) is an autosomal recessively inherited disorder of the organic acid metabolism. It is caused by a deficiency of propionyl-CoA carboxylase (PCC). PCC is a heteropolymeric enzyme composed of ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-subunits. The clinical symptoms of PA are heterogeneous and present vomiting, dehydration, hypotonia, and lethargy, and it can result in death. The typical presentations of neonatal onset PA are life-threatening metabolic acidosis and hyperammonemia. Here, we described a case of neonatal onset PA with mild clinical presentations. She was born to a healthy mother without complications. No significant illness was observed until nine days after birth. She started exhibiting poor oral feeding, vomiting, lethargy, and hypotonia at ten days old. Her laboratory results showed mild hyperammonemia and acidosis. The initial diagnosis was neonatal sepsis and she was treated with antibiotics. However, her clinical symptoms didn't improve. So we considered a metabolic disease. She was given nothing by mouth and intravenous hydration and nutrition support was performed. Propionylglycine and 3-hydroxypropionic acid were showed high concentrations in urine by gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC-MS). C3 level of acylcarnitine analysis elevated 10.4 uM/L (range, 0.200-5.00) in plasma. We took gene analysis for PA to be based on the symptoms and laboratory results. We detected PCCB gene mutation and diagnosed PA. She survived without severe neurologic defects and complications and was hospitalized only three times with upper respiratory tract infections for 7 years. We report a case of a ten days old neonate with PA presenting without severe metabolic acidosis and hyperammonemia who was effectively treated with early aggressive care and conventional methods.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.492-501
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of self-reported cigarette smoking status and investigate factors associated with the accuracy self-reported and measured urinary cotinine in Korean adults. Methods: We used data from the $1^{st}$ Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2009-2011) among adults aged ${\geq}19$ years (N=6,246). The survey examined self-reported smoking status, and urinary cotinine was regarded as the biomarker of exposure to tobacco smoke. Urinary cotinine was analyzed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS version 20.0, which uses the sample weight and calculates variance estimates to adjust for the unequal probability of selection into the survey. Results: We calculated a cut-off point (53.3 ug/L) by using a ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curve. The smoking prevalence was 24.6% based on self-reported data and 28.2% based on urinary cotinine concentrations. When we assessed the agreement between self-reported and urinary cotinine, we found an average agreement of 97.7% among self-reported smokers and 94.5% among self-reported non-smokers. Among self-reported smokers, factors affected the discrepancy were age, household economic status and average number of cigarettes smoked per day. On the other hand, gender, former smoking experience, and exposure to SHS (second hand smoke) were associated with discrepancies among self-reported non-smokers. Conclusion: These results suggest that self-reported data on smoking status provide a valid estimate of actual smoking status. In future research, we will conduct a continuous monitoring study for reliability verification of the data to reduce potential interpretation errors.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.509-512
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate neuroprotective effect of sacral neuromodulation in rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model in the histological and functional aspects. Methods : Twenty-one female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups : the normal control group (CTL, n=7), the SCI with sham stimulation group (SCI, n=7), and the SCI with electrical stimulation (SCI+ES, n=7). Spinal cord was injured by dropping an impactor from 25 mm height. Sacral nerve electrical stimulation was performed by the following protocol : pulse duration, 0.1 ms; frequency, 20 Hz; stimulation time, 30 minutes; and stimulation duration, 4 weeks. Both locomotor function and histological examination were evaluated as scheduled. Results : The number of anterior horn cell was $12.3{\pm}5.7$ cells/high power field (HPF) in the CTL group, $7.8{\pm}4.9$ cells/HPF in the SCI group, and $6.9{\pm}5.5$ cells/HPF in the SCI+ES group, respectively. Both the SCI and the SCI+ES groups showed severe loss of anterior horn cells and myelin fibers compared with the CTL group. Cavitation and demyelinization of the nerve fibers has no significant difference between the SCI group and the SCI+ES group. Cavitation of dorsal column was more evident in only two rats of SCI group than the SCI+ES group. The locomotor function of all rats improved over time but there was no significant difference at any point in time between the SCI and the SCI+ES group. Conclusion : In a rat thoracic spinal cord contusion model, we observed that sacral neuromodulation did not prevent SCI-induced myelin loss and apoptosis.