• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2015

Purpose: Lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) plays an important role in jaw movement and has been implicated in Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Migraine has been described as a common symptom in patients with TMDs and may be related to muscle hyperactivity. This study aimed to compare LPM volume in individuals with and without migraine, using segmentation of the LPM in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the TMJ. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with migraine and 20 volunteers without migraine underwent a clinical examination of the TMJ, according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMDs. MR imaging was performed and the LPM was segmented using the ITK-SNAP 1.4.1 software, which calculates the volume of each segmented structure in voxels per cubic millimeter. The chi-squared test and the Fisher's exact test were used to relate the TMD variables obtained from the MR images and clinical examinations to the presence of migraine. Logistic binary regression was used to determine the importance of each factor for predicting the presence of a migraine headache. Results: Patients with TMDs and migraine tended to have hypertrophy of the LPM (58.7%). In addition, abnormal mandibular movements (61.2%) and disc displacement (70.0%) were found to be the most common signs in patients with TMDs and migraine. Conclusion: In patients with TMDs and simultaneous migraine, the LPM tends to be hypertrophic. LPM segmentation on MR imaging may be an alternative method to study this muscle in such patients because the hypertrophic LPM is not always palpable.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.85-98
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• 2009

The fruits of Schisandra chinensis and Prunus mume have been traditionally used in the Oriental countries as an astringent against diarrhea and abdominal pain, a protectant for liver disease, an antimicrobial, and a blood tonic. However, little is known about the extract of Schizandrae Fructus and Mume Fructus (SMF-Ex) on dextran-sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of SMF-Ex on DSS-induced colitis in mice. An experimental colitis was induced by daily treatment with 5% DSS. SMF-Ex was orally administrated the single dose (80 mg/kg, body weight/day) for 7 days with one time per day. SMF-Ex reduced significantly clinical sign of DSS-induced colitis, including body weight loss, shorten colon length, increased disease activity index (DAI), and histological colon injury. SMF-Ex also inhibited significantly nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandine $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) productions in DSS-induced colitis mice. Furthermore, SMF-Ex increased significantly an superoxide anion (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) activity of the colon tissue in DSS-induced colitis mice. These results suggest that SMF-Ex administration could reduce significantly the clinical signs and inflammatory mediators, and increase antioxidant activity in DSS-induced colitis model mice and is a good candidate for further evaluation as an effective anti-ulcerative agent.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.136-144
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze teaching status and knowledge about children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in elementary school teachers. Methods: The participants of this study were 204 elementary school teachers in Busan. From July to September 2010, the researchers collected data by using self-report questionnaires consisted of questions about their teachers' characteristics and teaching status and KADDS (36 items) developed by Sciutto, Terjesen and Frank. Frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test and ANOVA were used to analyze the data using SPSS WIN 16.0 program. Results: Less than 50% of the participants had previous education on ADHD. According to this experience, there were significant differences in participants' knowledge about children with ADHD (t=4.703, p<.001). For the 36 items, participants had an average of $19.19{\pm}4.58$ points out of a possible 36. Moreover, lack of knowledge about teaching children with ADHD and communication problems with the parents of these children were considered to be the most disturbing factors. Conclusion: These results suggest that networks among teachers, parents and medical care professionals should be established. The results also indicate that educational programs for elementary school teachers should be developed in order to identify and teach children with ADHD appropriately.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.298-303
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• 2018

Background: Panax ginseng is one of the most commonly used medicinal herbs worldwide for a variety of therapeutic properties including neurocognitive effects. Ginsenoside Rg1 is one of the most abundant active chemical constituents of this herb with known neuroprotective, anxiolytic, and cognition improving effects. Methods: We investigated the effects of Rg1 on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a key brain region involved in cognition, information processing, working memory, and decision making. In this study, the effects of systemic administration of Rg1 (1 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, or 10 mg/kg) on (1) spontaneous firing of the medial prefrontal cortical neurons and (2) long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal-medial prefrontal cortical (HP-mPFC) pathway were investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Results: The spontaneous neuronal activity of approximately 50% the recorded pyramidal cells in the mPFC was suppressed by Rg1. In addition, Rg1 attenuated LTP in the HP-mPFC pathway. These effects were not dose-dependent. Conclusion: This report suggests that acute treatment of Rg1 impairs LTP in the HP-mPFC pathway, perhaps by suppressing the firing of a subset of mPFC neurons that may contribute to the neurocognitive effects of Rg1.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.40
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• pp.20.1-20.10
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• 2018

Background: In the absence of clear guidelines for facial aesthetic surgery, most surgeons rely on expert intuitive judgement when planning aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. One of the most famous theories regarding "ideal" facial proportions is that of the golden proportion. However, there are conflicting opinions as to whether it can be used to assess facial attractiveness. The aim of this investigation was to assess facial ratios of professional black models and to compare the ratios with the golden proportion. Methods: Forty photographs of male and female professional black models were collected. Observers were asked to assign a score from 1 to 10 (1 = not very attractive, 10 = very attractive). A total of 287 responses were analysed for grading behaviour according to various demographic factors by two groups of observers. The best graded photographs were compared with the least well-graded photographs to identify any differences in their facial ratios. The models' facial ratios were calculated and compared with the golden proportion. Results: Differences in grading behaviour were observed amongst the two assessment groups. Only one out of the 12 facial ratios was not significantly different from the golden proportion. Conclusions: Only one facial ratio was observed to be similar to the golden proportion in professional model facial photographs. No correlation was found between facial ratios in professional black models with the golden proportion. It is proposed that an individualistic treatment for each ratio is a rather better method to guide future practice.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 2015

PURPOSE. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of cleaning solutions on saliva-contaminated zirconia in comparison to air-abrasion in terms of resin bonding. MATERIALS AND METHODS. For saliva-contaminated air-abraded zirconia, seven cleaning methods)-no contamination (NC), water-spray rinsing (WS), additional air-abrasion (AA), and cleaning with four solutions (Ivoclean [IC]; 1.0 wt% sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS], 1.0 wt% hydrogen peroxide [HP], and 1.0 wt% sodium hypochlorite [SHC])-were tested. The zirconia surfaces for each group were characterized using various analytical techniques. Three bonded resin (Panavia F 2.0) cylinders (bonding area: $4.5mm^2$) were made on one zirconia disk specimen using the Ultradent jig method [four disks (12 cylinders)/group; a total of 28 disks]. After 5,000 thermocycling, all specimens were subjected to a shear bond strength test with a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/minute. The fractured surfaces were observed using an optical and scanning electron microscope (SEM). RESULTS. Contact angle measurements showed that groups NC, AA, IC, and SHC had hydrophilic surfaces. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed similar elemental distributions between group AA and groups IC and SHC. Groups IC and SHC showed statistically similar bond strengths to groups NC and AA (P>.05), but not groups SDS and HP (P<.05). For groups WS, SDS, and HP, blister-like bubble formations were observed on the surfaces under SEM. CONCLUSION. Within the limitations of this in vitro study, some of the cleaning solutions (IC or SHC) were effective in removing saliva contamination and enhancing the resin bond strength.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6035-6039
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• 2014

Background: Substantial evidence from epidemiological studies has suggested that increased levels of calcium may play a protective role against colorectal cancer (CRC). Given the vital role of calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis, we explored whether the rs1801725 (A986S) variant located in exon 7 of the CaSR gene and the rs6256 variant located in exon 3 of PTH gene might be associated with CRC risk. Materials and Methods: In this study 860 subjects including 350 cases with CRC and 510 controls were enrolled and genotyped using PCR-RFLP methods. Results: We observed no significant difference in genotype or allele frequencies between the cases with CRC and controls for both CaSR and PTH genes either before or after adjustment for confounding factors including age, BMI, sex, smoking status, and family history of CRC. Furthermore, no evidence for effect modification of any association of rs1801725 and rs6256 variants and CRC by BMI, sex, or tumor site was observed. In addition, there was no significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies between the normal weight (BMI < $25kg/m^2$) cases and overweight/obese (BMI ${\geq}25kg/m^2$) cases for the two SNPs. Conclusions: These data indicated that the CaSR gene A986S variant is not a genetic contributor to CRC risk in the Iranian population. Furthermore, our results suggest for the first time that PTH gene variant does not affect CRC risk. Nonetheless, further studies with larger sample size are needed to validate these findings.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.435-442
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• 2011

At present, lifestyle-related diseases are one of the most critical health issues worldwide. It has been reported that lipopolysaccharide derived from a Gram-negative bacteria (IP-PA1) symbiotic with wheat exhibited several advantageous biological effects, such as the reduction of plasma glucose levels in NOD mice and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in WHHL rabbits. In this study, the beneficial effects on plasma glucose and lipids of a tea (SI tea) consisting of IP-PA1 and Salacia (which contains an inhibitor of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase) were investigated in the KK-Ay/TaJcl type 2 diabetic model mice and in human subjects with premetabolic syndrome in a double-blind, randomized study. S1 tea significantly decreased plasma glucose levels in KK-Ay/TaJcl mice. A clinical trial of SI tea was performed with 41 subjects between the ages of 40 and 69, who belonged either to a high plasma glucose group (HG: FPG 100-125 mg/dl) or to a hyperlipidemia group (HL: TG ${\geq}$ 150 mg/dl, or LDL ${\geq}$ 120 mg/dl, or HDL <40 mg/dl). These subjects ingested either Salacia without IP-PA1 (the control) or SI tea. Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, and 60 days after initiating SI tea treatment, and were measured for FPG, HbA1c, TG, LDL, and HDL. These results showed that SI tea reduced FPG and HbA1c more rapidly than the control in the HL group, and also significantly improved LDL and HDL levels in the HG group. Thus, SI tea may be helpful in preventing lifestyle-related diseases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.418-421
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• 2002

Fundamental study on quasi-monochromatic parallel radiography using a polycapillary plate and a plane-focus x-ray tube is described. The x-ray generator consists of a negative high-voltage power supply, a filament (hot cathode) power supply, and an x-ray tube. The negative high-voltage is applied to the cathode electrode, and the transmission type target (anode) is connected to the ground potential. The maximum voltage and current of the power supply were -100 kV (peak value) and 3.0 mA, respectively. In this experiment, the tube voltage was regulated from 20 to 25 kV, and the tube current was regulated by the filament temperature and ranged from 1.0 to 3.0 mA. The exposure time is controlled in order to obtain optimum film density, and the focal spot diameter was about 10 mm. The polycapillary plate is J5022-21 made by Hamamatsu Photonics Inc., and the outside and effective diameters are 87 and 77 mm, respectively. The thickness and the hole diameter of the polycapillary are 1.0 mm and 25 ${\mu}$m, respectively. The x-rays from the tube are formed into parallel beam by the polycapillary, and the radiogram is taken using an industrial x-ray film of Fuji IX 100 without using a screen. In the measurement of image resolution, we employed three brass spacers of 2, 30, and 60 mm in height. By the test chart, the resolution fell according to increases in the spacer height without using a polycapillary. In contrast, the resolution slightly fell with corresponding increases in the height by the polycapillary. In angiography, fine blood vessels of about 100 ${\mu}$m are clearly visible.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.529-535
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• 2011

Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) is a fusion protein of the variable regions of the heavy (VH) and light (VL) chains of immunoglobulin, connected with a short linker peptide of 10 to about 20 amino acids. In this study, the scFv of a monoclonal antibody against the third domain of human CD4 was cloned from OKT4 hybridoma cells using the phage display technique and produced in E. coli. The expression, production, and purification of anti-CD4 scFv were tested using SDS-PAGE and Western blot, and the specificity of anti-CD4 scFv was examined using ELISA. A 31 kDa recombinant anti-CD4 scFv was expressed and produced in bacteria, which was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot assays. Sequence analysis proved the ScFv structure of the construct. It was able to bind to CD4 in quality ELISA assay. The canonical structure of anti-CD4 scFv antibody was obtained using the SWISS_MODEL bioinformatics tool for comparing with the scFv general structure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for generating scFv against human CD4 antigen. Engineered anti-CD4 scFv could be used in immunological studies, including fluorochrome conjugation, bispecific antibody production, bifunctional protein synthesis, and other genetic engineering manipulations. Since the binding site of our product is domain 3 (D3) of the CD4 molecule and different from the CD4 immunological main domain, including D1 and D2, further studies are needed to evaluate the anti-CD4 scFv potential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.