• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2019

Estrogen withdrawal in post-menopausal women leads to overactivation of osteoclasts, which contributes to the development of osteoporosis. Inflammatory cytokines are known as one of mechanisms of osteoclast activation after estrogen deficiency. SPA0355 is a thiourea derivative that has been investigated for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, its efficacy in bone resorption has not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of SPA0355 on the development of osteoporosis and to explore its mode of action. In vitro experiments showed that SPA0355 inhibited receptor activator of $NF-{\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis in primary bone marrow-derived macrophages. This effect appears to be independent of estrogen receptor activation as ICI 180,782 failed to abrogate its effects on osteoclasts. Further signaling studies revealed that SPA0355 suppressed activation of the MAPKs, Akt, and $NF-{\kappa}B$ pathways. SPA0355 also increased osteoblastic differentiation, as evidenced by its effects on alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization nodule formation. Intraperitoneal administration of SPA0355 to ovariectomized mice prevented bone loss, as verified by three-dimensional images and bone morphometric parameters derived from ${\mu}CT$ analysis. Noticeably, SPA0355 did not show hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity and also had little effect on hematological parameters. Taken together, the results indicate that SPA0355 may protect against bone loss in ovariectomized mice by stimulation of osteoblast differentiation and by inhibition of osteoclast resorption. Therefore, SPA0355 is a safe and potential candidate for management of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.348-355
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• 2011

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that is associated with various types of local and systemic infection. Staphylococcal protin A (SPA), a highly expressed surface component of S. aureus, may have a role in virulence such as activating inflammation and interfering with immune clearance. We examined the effect of recombinant SPA on inflammatory response in human HaCaT keratinocytes. The recombinant SPA protein was prepared using the pET-28a Vector System in Escherichia coli. The expression of pro-inflammatory related adhesion molecules and cytokines in HaCaT cells incubated for 6, 12, and 24 h with SPA (2 ${\mu}g$/ml) was analyzed by comparative RT-PCR or ELISA. The expression of E-selectin, ICAM-1, MCP-1, IL-6 and IL-8 was significantly increased in HaCaT from 6 to 24 h after treatment with SPA. SPA showed the effect on the adhesion-promoting ability of U937 monocytes to HaCaT cells. Our data demonstrate that SPA stimulates inflammatory response of HaCaT cells, implicating an important factor for exacerbation of skin inflammation of immunologic disease.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.241-250
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• 2013

In contemporary society, spa has become one of the important healing spaces. As the present urban life has been more and more complex and competitive, space of recreation and healing are dramatically increased in terms of its number as well as location. In the past, there were three kinds of spa visitors. The first was the people who visited spas for medical reasons. The second was the people who visited spas for leisure and refreshment. The third was for social gatherings like in the ancient Rome. In present time, these three reasons are mixed together. As the spa program became rich and various, visitors tends to seek an appropriate spa environment that suits their needs. This is the main background for contemporary spa designs. In any case, concept of healing has been always the core element in spa. Light and sense have vital role to make a unique spa design. This paper aims to study different light and sense applications in contemporary spa designs. Specific focus is to find how light and sense in spa designs act to create a healing environment. 4 spa projects built in Europe after 2000 were selected and were analyzed based on the 4 light and sense characteristics. In conclusion, case analysis was summarized to suggest future possibilities.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2013

Settled lifestyle as important to health and healing to medical tourism and wellness tourism in the 21st century has emerged as the best promising service industry. Jeju Island has a variety of local resources, and the directions was considered to spa industry promotion application it. Jeju Island has a variety of local resources which can be used for spa industry promotion. Jeju Island's beautiful natural environment, mineral resources, water resources, biological resources, agricultural products, traditional folk remedies available in Jeju's spa treatments. Using the local resources of Jeju, 'Jeju specialized spa treatments' can develop of 12 kinds of spa treatments. Namely, thalssotherapy, stone therapy, black sand poultice, hot-floored therapy using volcanic soil, thalassotherapy, drinking therapy, hydrotherapy, herbal/medicinal plants poultice, forest therapy, Spa cuisine, facial beauty, diet therapy. 12 kinds of Jeju specialized spa treatments development and service to the local resources of basic research on the physical and chemical characteristics, product development, clinical trials, efficacy studies should precede. In addition, customized spa services programs should be developed considering the propensity of customers, customer needs, and a spa type. And standardized program of spa services and need a manual painter. Medical tourism and wellness tourism in conjunction with efforts to be considered in order to increase the competitiveness of the spa industry in Jeju.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.13-21
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• 2007

Wellbeing is a new trend to modern people and Spa facilities are an appropriate space to them seeking a wellbeing life. Spa facilities will be increased in demand as a value of a public welfare and wellbeing life and the study of them is required. Therefore this study was to analysed domestic and foreign spa programs and characteristic spaces. When synthesizing many spa programs they were divided into three parts: hydrotherapy as a healing therapy using water, touch therapy as a type of massage using a manual and subsidiary equipment and mind therapy to heal spirit. Space of spa facilities were divided into three parts: the supporting part, the relaxing and mediating parts and the room for therapy. The supporting parts included a front desk, a consulting room, lockers, bath room and acceptance rooms etc and they were arranged in entrance space generally. The rooms for therapy were composed with a room for hydrotherapy using water, rooms for touch therapy and rooms for mind therapy refreshing a spirit and they were established contiguously being used efficiently. The mediating parts provided spaces for relaxation and waiting place between therapies and they were established in independent space generally but they are paid attention at good spaces forming the community of visitors and giving a characteristic images for the spa. Spa has been divided into several types in accordance with age of visitors for example children, young people, middle aged people and aged people. It has equipped with complex functions from welfare to medical. Therefore it is thought that many studies of each facilities become accomplished to propose suitable interior design.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.301-316
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• 2004

In this study, 2,238 incidents from History of the Three States, Prehistory of the Three States, History of Koryo, True Records of Chosun Dynasty had been analyzed in order to examine the bathing styles of Koreans. The results were as follows. In the period of Three States, baths were taken for the purposes of cleanness, remedy, and beauty culture as well as etiquettes. And spa, rainwater, rivers, streams, and bath tubs were used. In the period of Koryo, it included not only reasons for etiquettes as in the period of the Three States but also reasons for medical care and daily life. In spa, temples, and homes, baths were taken by using perfumes and towels. In Chosun Dynasty, daily baths were for hygiene, health, and bodily charms. Before religious ceremonies, they made sure that they took baths, and spa baths were popular for the medical care. The ways to take baths included the order which area was the first to be washed, time, and areas concretely, and seasons, weather, and conditions of body were considered before taking baths. Moreover, the places included natural places such as streams, reservoirs, rivers, as well as artificial places such as temples, places for envoys, and palaces. Especially, in spa areas, bathing buildings were constructed. Considering all these, baths were taken for the purposes of ceremonies and medical care in the period of the Three States, and daily baths took down their roots in the period of Koryo. In the period of Chosun Dynasty, spa baths for cures, prays and rituals, hygiene and bodily charms were considered as a reason. How to take baths and means were decided carefully. Therefore, the results above demonstrated that baths took down their roots in people's daily life in Korea since the period of Koryo.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2012

It has been documented that SPA0355 exerts antiinflammatory effects via the inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB activation. In present study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of SPA0355 on periodontitis in an animal model. Periodontitis was induced by ligation of the cervix of the 1st molar in the left mandible in rats. After ligature, the rats were randomly divided into four groups and topically applied with SPA0355 (0.5, 1, and 2%) or the vehicle alone once daily for 10 days. Body weight and food intake were measured daily throughout the experimental period. At day 10 post-ligature, the infiltration of inflammatory cells and distance of the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the alveolar bone crest (ABC) in the distal area of ligatured tooth were estimated histopathologically. No changes in body weight or food intake were found between the control and SPA0355 groups. The degree of inflammation was decreased in all three SPA0355 application groups. A decrease CEJ-ABC distance was observed in the 0.5% and 1% SPA0355 groups. These results indicate that SPA0355 inhibits the infiltration of inflammatory cells and alveolar bone resorption and suggests its potential as a therapeutic agent for periodontitis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1994

The occurrence and time course of capacitation, acrosomal loss, and hyperactivated motility require quantitative definition in order to characterize fertile human sperm. Recently the method has been developed to estimate the quality of spermatozoa by using kinematic parameters such as curvilinear velocity(VCL), average path velocity(VAP), linearity(LIN), straightness(STR), amplitude of lateral head displacement(ALH), and beat cross frequence(BCF) from Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA). In this study, using the Hamilton Thorn motility analyzer HTM 2030(Hamilton Thorn Research, Beverly, MA), we attempted to identify the spermatozoa with hyperactivated motility (HA) objectively and to monitor hyperactivation of human spermatozoa during incubation in capacitating media and after treatment of calcium ionophore as compared with acrosome status. And we examined whether HA are related to the result of SPA. Semen samples obtained from 16 healthy men were prepared by swim up technique and preincubated in a capacitating media(modified BWW medium) for 5 hours and treated with calcium ionophore solution. The acrosome reaction was detected with PSA-FITC labelling of the acrosome and in vitro sperm ferilizing capacity was assessed by the zona free hamster ovum penetration assay (SPA). The incidence of hyperactivated sperm was 2.6% in fresh semen, 14.3% of the swim up population, 13.7% after 5h of incubation. Significant increase of percentage of hyperactivated sperm was observed after the incubation (p<0.05) but after treatment, no significant changes of percentage of hyperactivated sperm(l1.8%) in contrast to significant rise in the percentage of acrosome reacted cells. Correlation analysis failed to show any significant relationship between the percentage of sperm with HA and SPA score. In conclusion, although no direct correlations were found between the results of SPA and HA, hyperactivation of sperm is associated with capacitation and monitoring hyperactivated sperm will be expected as a method of evaluating the functional quality of sperm such as SPA.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.85-110
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• 2011

As Gangwon-do Province needs an environmental-friendly alternative tourism according to low carbon green growth, this study analyzes specialized fields in green health industry, selects seven specialized fields in green health industry that is fit to Gangwon-do Province, and suggests a development strategy by conducting recognition surveys on preference and impotence of the specialized fields. Surveys and interviews are conducted of 106 students at Green Health Industry Education Center which is operating by Kwandong University and 84 persons who work at medical institutions and tourism related companies in Ganwondo. The surveys and interviews were completed from November 5 to November 19 in 2010, determined factors through a factor analysis when they have many questions, and analyzed by using SPSS 14.0. Out of the seven specialized fields, rest & recuperation field is highly recognized. In order to have competitive edge compared to other self-governing provinces, Ganwon-do Province should prioritize rest and recuperation field. A healthcare program in the green health industry specific to Ganwon-do Province includes hot springs and spa programs as a priority. Gangwon-do's hot springs are deemed to be competitive resources as global medical tourists prefer spa and sauna healthcare programs, while the province promotes its spring resources and builds medical tourism infrastructures. Gangwon-do Province can promote a medical tourism industry that is well suitable for the strength and characteristics of the province. It might pursue oriental medicine therapy tourism, which is related to a recuperating medical service that uses both oriental and western medicine. It can also run such programs as forest bathing (oxygen road), spring and spa, and sea water treatment, which are the specialized fields in green health industry with respect to recreation and healthcare.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2002

Objective : This study was designed to investigate the interrelationship and clinical usefulness of sperm morphology by strict criteria (SM), acrosome reaction following ionophore challenge test (ARIC) and sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova as prognostic factors in in vitro fertilization. Materials and Methods: Semen samples were provided by 83 patients undergoing IVF. We first evaluated the differences between normal fertilization group and poor fertilization group on three andrologic tests. Secondly, we analyzed the relationship between the three andrologic tests and in vitro fertilization on IVF settings. Finally, we evaluated the effectiveness of the three andrologic tests as the prognostic indicators for fertilizing ability. Results: The fertilization rate of all men in the poor fertilization group was less than 30%; but there was no evidence that this poor fertilization was due to oocyte defects. The results of three andrologic tests were significatly higher in normal fertilization group. Fertilization rate (%) in vitro was highly correlated (p<0.001) with % normal sperm by SM, ARIC value (%), and SPA result. By using Receiver-Operator-Characteristic curve (ROC), we evaluated the effectiveness of these three tests. The sensitivity and specificity of SM, ARIC test and SPA in predicting fertilization potential in IVF setting were 76% and 75%, 84% and 90%, and 76% and 95%, respectively. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the three andrologic tests can be reliable tools as prognostic factors of sperm fertilizing ability. Among these test, ARIC test and SPA gave more accurate information on fertilizing capacity. ARIC test was shown to have a predictive value for fertilizing ability comparable to that of SPA that appears to be a simple and cost-effective addition to current andrology laboratory. Combined application of these three tests may give more information on predicting sperm fertilizing capacity.