• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.519-530
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to develop outcome indicators in clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for asthma. cough and sputum. To accomplish the objective, this study collected outcome indicators developed and used according to conventional medical concepts. Methods : Our research group reviewed SCI papers concerned with developing outcome indicators to evaluate amelioration of asthma, cough and sputum. We also reviewed clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for them. Results : To evaluate asthma, objective as well as subjective methods were chosen according to the purpose of each trial. Objective methods were PEF, FEVl, serum IgE, peripheral eosinophil counts, and so on. Subjective methods were symptom scores, symptom diaries, quality of life measures, etc. To evaluate cough and sputum, objective and subjective methods were also chosen. Objective methods were tussigenic challenges, sputum induction and computerized methodology, and subjective methods were similar to the methodology evaluating asthmatic symptoms. Conclusions : It is desirable for a clinical trial evaluating herbal drugs for asthma, cough and sputum to use objective and subjective outcome indicators together. However, biological outcome indicators, a kind of objective methods, can not be chosen as the purpose of trial. Valid and reliable subjective outcome indicators are needed to develop good clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for asthma, cough and sputum.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.65-72
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• 2007

The VOC (volatile organic compound) analyzer is devised to measure the four main aromatic hydrocarbon gases: toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and styfene. It is not affected by ambient temperature and humidity. In addition, standby and measuring time of VOC Analyzer is a short as below 30 min and 8 min, respectively. Since the semiconductor gas sensor is supersensitive to gas components, it is not necessary to use a conventional gas concentrator or other complicated equipment. In this study, VOC emission behavior from 4 types paints (lacquer, urethane vanish, water-base paint, enamel paint) for wood-based panel was investigated using VOC Analyzer. After a specimen was spreaded on aluminum foil ($6.32{\times}6.32cm$) in $3{\ell}$ polyester bag, after 24 hours we could measure maximum VOC emission level that is a stabilized VOC value. Xylene of VOCs was high emitted from lacquer, urethane vanish and water-based paint, and TVOC (Toluene + Ethylbenzene + Xylene + Styrene) of lacquer was the highest emission concentration than another.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity of crude anthocyanin compounds extracted from black soybean. The crude anthocyanin compounds were extracted with 80% methanol and concentrated to powder. The most abundant compound isolated from the extract was C3G(cyanidin-3-glucoside). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) assay was conducted to assess the antioxidative activity of the crude extract. SOD, which catalyzes the dismutation of the superoxide anion into hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen, is one of the most important antioxidative enzymes. The black soybean anthocyanin extracts inhibited more than 90% of the superoxide radical at a concentration of 0.1% and 100% at a concentration of 0.5%, indicating that this extract displayed excellent antioxidative activity. To assess the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract, a NO(Nitric oxide) production assay in RAW 264.7 cells was performed. NO is an important physiological messenger and effector molecule in many biological systems, including immunological, neuronal and cardiovascular tissues. In this assay, the anthocyanin extracts showed a high anti-inflammatory potential, where the inhibitory potency for NO production was similar to the positive control, particularly for EGCG(epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which is known to have excellent anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, it can be concluded that the anthocyanin extracts from black soybean have distinctive pharmaceutical activities and may be used as an excellent source materials to supplement the health benefits of various food products.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.308-316
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• 2012

Proper skin care promotes good metabolism and the biological activity of skin, helps maintain the skin in a healthy and beautiful state when combined with nutritional nourishment. Health functional foods are being used for the purpose of enhancing efficient skin care. Health functional foods related to skin care maintain the epidermis, dermal fibroblast layer and subcutaneous tissue that form the skin. Efficient functional foods alleviate the signs of endogenous aging that come with getting older and exogenous aging caused by sunlight. Even though the field of skin care related to health functional foods has received less attention and been the subject of less research compared to functional cosmetics which are developing widely, this area of skin care that maintains and improves the layer of dermal fibroblast through the intake of food, is expected to progress with the commercialization of products in many fields when the related technical research development is galvanized and the related patents are applied for. Research into health functional foods related to skin care in Korea started rather late in comparison to other advanced countries where patents for relevant techniques have been applied for since 1990's together with research conducted on how they might be used for practical purposes. This study used the key words 'skin care, health functional food' to search for Korean patents that have been applied for at the Korean Intellectual Property Office from 1983 to 2011 using the KIPRIS database, in order to help researchers in the related fields by organizing the patented formulas for health functional foods for skin care which have gained attention recently. According to the number of registrations in each industry field, the total number of patents was 1,120 we screened the major patents among them, the field with the largest number was food foodstuff non-alcoholic beverage and preparation or treatment(A23L) with 135, then natural plant medicine & medical supplies and cosmetics(A61K) with 112, microorganisms or enzymes(C12N) with 63, heterocyclic compounds(C07D) with 44, horticulture or cultivation of sea weeds, forestry(A01G) 16 times, listed from the highest to the lowest number of applications. It has been revealed that food, foodstuff, non-alcoholic beverage and preparation or treatment(A23L) was the industry field where the most patents for health functional foods related to skin care were registered.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 1998

The maintenance of a viable pregnancy has long been viewed as an immunological paradox. The deveolping embryo and trophoblast are immunologically foreign to the maternal immune system due to their maternally inherited genes products and tissue-specific differentiation antigens (Hill & Anderson, 1988). Therefore, speculation has arisen that spontaneous abortion may be caused by impaired maternal immune tolerance to the semiallogenic conceptus (Hill, 1990). Loss of recall antigen has been reported in immunosuppressed transplant recipients and is associated with graft survival (Muluk et al., 1991; Schulik et al., 1994). Progesterone $(10^{-5}M)$ has immunosuppressive capabilities (Szekeres-Bartho et al., 1985). Previous study showed that fertile women, but not women with unexplained recurrent abortion (URA), lose their immune response to recall antigens when pregnant (Bermas & Hill, 1997). Therefore, we hypothesized that immunosuppressive doses of progesterone may affect proliferative response of lymphocytes to trophoblast antigen and alloantigen. Proliferative responses using $^3H$-thymidine ($^3H$-TdR) incorporation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to the irradiated allogeneic periperal blood mononuclear cells as alloantigen, trophoblast extract and Flu as recall antigen, and PHA as mitogen were serially checked in 9 women who had experienced unexplained recurrent miscarriage. Progesterone vaginal suppositories (100mg b.i.d; Utrogestan, Organon) beginning 3 days after ovulation were given to 9 women with unexplained RSA who had prior evidence of Th1 immunity to trophoblast. We checked proliferation responses to conception cycle before and after progesterone supplementation once a week through the first 7 weeks of pregnancy. All patients of alloantigen and PHA had a positive proliferation response that occmed in the baseline phase. But 4 out of 9 patients (44.4%) of trophoblast antigen and Flu antigen had a positive proliferative response. The suppression of proliferation response to each antigen were started after proliferative phase and during pregnancy cycles. Our data demonstrated that since in vivo progesterone treated PBMCs suppressed more T-lymphocyte activation and $^3H$-TdR incorporation compare to PBMCs, which are not influenced by progesterone. This data suggested that it might be influenced by immunosuppressive effect of progesterone. In conclusion, progesterone may play an important immunological role in regulating local immune response in the fetal-placental unit. Furthermore, in the 9 women given progesterone during a conception cycle, Only two (22%) repeat pregnancy losses occured in these 9 women despite loss of antigen responsiveness (one chemical pregnancy loss and one loss at 8 weeks of growth which was karyotyped as a Trisomy 4). These finding suggested that pregnancy loss due to fetal aneuploidy is not associated with immunological phenomena.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.329-335
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• 2008

Korean Deep ground sea-like water (KDSW) has a similar mineral composition with deep sea water. KDSW has demonstrated its usefulness and attracted in the medical fields. KDSW and Danasoo (desalted deep ground sea-like water) intake improve antioxidant, antidiabetic activity and immunity. Antioxidant activities of KDSW and Dnansoo were measured by using 2,2-diphenyl-l-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, superoxide dismutase-like activity (SODA) and photochemiluminescence (PCL). DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activities of KDSW and Danasoo were remarkably increased in a dose-dependent manner. Antioxidant activities of KDSW and Danasoo 85.32 and 14.02 nmol of ascorbic acid equivalent/ml KDSW and Danasoo, respectively, using the PCL method. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages RAW264.7 cells was inhibited up to 30% by treatment with Danasoo (20%). NO is synthesized by the enzyme of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and plays an important role tumor growth and angiogenesis. The anticancer effects of Danasoo on human gastric and lung cancer cells was performed by levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Danasoo significantly reduced iNOS expression of human gastric cancer (SNU-l) and lung carcinoma (A549). The serum glucose level was significantly reduced by Danasoo (20%) diet in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. These result suggest that KDSW has excellent biological activities and thus it has great potential as a source for natural health products.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2000

Gastric acid resistance of aerobic Lactobacilli and anaerobic Bifidohacteria in commercial 19 drink and 18 liquid yogurts in Korea was investigated after exposure to simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.5). The initial survival of Lactobacilli in commercial drink and liquid yogurts was $10^8~10^{10}$ cfulml and $10^6~10^{10}$cfdml, respectively. On the other hand, the initial survival of Bifidobacteria in commercial drink yogurts was ($10^6~10^{10}$cfulml. The survival of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in some commercial drink and liquid yogurts drastically changed depending on the type of commercial products when exposed to simulated gastric fluid for 120 min (<$10^3~10^6$ cfulml). Their survival decreased as a function of time in the simulated gastric fluid. In the case of drink yogurt containing Bifidobacteria-loaded capsu1es;the survival of Bifidobactena in only Mi after excluding capsules was similar to other commercial drink yogurts after exposure to gastric fluid for 30-120 min (ca. TEX>$10^5$ cfulml). However, the survival of Bifidobacteria in capsules was greatly enhanced due to their stability in low pH condition (>$10^8$ cfulml). The drink yogut containing Bifidobacteria-loaded capsules showed about 10-737 times higher survival in the gastric fluid for 120 min when compared to other commercial drink yogurts. It was evident that the gastric acid resistance of Bifidobacteria could be increased when encapsulated.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.308-312
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• 2011

Plant lactic acid bacteria were isolated from plant-associated fermentative foods and crops, and their probiotic properties were investigated. Isolates K27 and O2 were isolated from Kimchi and onion, and identified as Lactobacillus plantarum on the basis of 16S rRNA gene analysis. The two strains were highly resistant to acid (an MRS broth at pH 2.5), where the survival rates of L. plantarum K27 and L. plantarum O2 were 90.2% and 97.3%, respectively. L. plantarum K27 and L. plantarum O2 also showed high bile resistance to 0.5% oxgall, with a more than 70% survival rate. They showed an inhibitory effect against pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli KCCM 40880 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145. The antibacterial effect of the two strains was probably due to the presence of lactic acid. ACE inhibitory activities of the two strains ranged from 72.8% to 80.6% in MRS broth. Notably, the two strains showed high ACE inhibitory activity (89.2~98.2%) in MRS broth containing 10% skim milk. Antioxidant activity was tested by DPPH radical scavenging activity, with antioxidant activities of the strains being in the range of 56.8~61.5%. The results obtained in this study suggest that L. plantarum K27 and L. plantarum O2 may be potential probiotic starter cultures with applications with fermentative products.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2000

Ginsenf Radix (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) has been traditionally used as a herbal medicine for many therapeutic or prophylactic purposes in the oriental countries such as Korea, Japan and China for at least two thousand years and also extensively studied in the modern scientific field of chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology. The herb is now also indicated for use as tonic or a prophylactic and restorative agent for enhancement of mental and physical capacities, in case of weahess exhaustion tiredness loss of concentration, impotence, cold limbs, during illiness anuor convalescence. Ginseng is commonly used in the form of detections, extract and powderl and ginseng products, in the form of capsules tablets and drinks. And also ginseng radix has been widely traditionally prescribed as an important comuonents of manny Chinese prescriptions or alone in various diseases and for health with its different dosages. Nowadays since rinsenf can be generally classified into food or medicine in many nations, it is very difficult to give any exact desnition on the dosage, which may be of particular importance in clinical applications. In addition, the establishment of the reasonable dosage is currently of great significance to meet the demand for such wide applications. Accordingly in this review paper we summarized the dosage of ginseng on the basis of oriental medical books oriental and western pharmacopeias and modern scientific clinical data. The recent survey demonstrated that the averare dosare of finsenf is considered to be three to four grams per day unless prescribed apart, while one to two grams per day in western countries from the western viewpoint of classification of ginseng as a medicine, surrorted by the dosage of not more than one gram per day in most clinical studies. For that reason, it seems likely that the dosage in western countries is ascribed to the safety of ginseng considering side or unwanted effects. Consequently whether the differences of dosage between oriental and western countries depend on dietary habits and races should be closely investigated. Besides, further studies on the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of ginseng components in clinical trials need to be done to decide optimum dosage of ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.661-672
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• 2006

This study was performed to determine the dietary risk factors associated with hypertension. The hypertensive group were composed of 112 hypertensive patients (male 53, female 59) who first visited the hypertension clinic and had been diagnosed as having primary hypertension ($SBP{\ge}140mmHg\;or\;DBP{\ge}90mmHg$). The regular visitors or the subjects on special diets or medical therapies were excluded. The normal group consisted of as subjects (male 41, female 54) matched with age and socioeconomic levels. The subjects having higher intakes (above the 75 percentile) in energy, protein, iron, vitamin A or C showed significantly higher hypertension risk estimated with odds ratio after the covariance factors (age, sex and BMI) were adjusted. More than 2400 mg of sodium (6 g of salt) intake was associated with significantly higher risk of hypertension (odds ratio: 1.773, CI: 1.014-3.014 for $SBP{\ge}140mmHg$; odds ratio: 2.373, CI: 1.359-4.215 for $DBP{\ge}90mmHg$). Hypertensive group showed significantly increased intakes of vegetables and fish and shell fish compared to the normal group. When the vegetable intakes were classified into Kimchi, fresh vegetables and cooked vegetables with seasoning, the hypertensive group was observed as having higher intakes of Kimchi and cooked vegetables with seasoning. The intakes of highest quartile for vegetables (${\ge}327g/day$) (odds ratio: 3.164, CI: 1.740-5.752), fish and their products (${\ge}102g/day$) (odds ratio: 2.756, CI: 1.486-5.109), grains(${\ge}311g/day$) (odds ratio 2.393, CI: 1.186-4.832), meats and their product (${\ge}106g$) (odds ratio: 2.210, CI: 1.225 - 3.987) compared to the lower were significantly associated with the higher risk of hypertension estimated with DBP (${\ge}90mmHg$) after covariance factors were adjusted. In conclusion, our findings confirm that higher intake of energy or sodium are associated with the increased risk of hypertension. Because increased intake of vegetable or fish was associated with the higher risk of hypertension, in contrast with the finding of western countries, choosing or preparation of vegetables or fish with reduced salt is recommended.