• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2169-2177
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• 2014

Matrine, a main active component extracted from dry roots of Sophora flavecens, has been reported to exert antitumor effects on A549 human non-small lung cancer cells, but its mechanisms of action remain unclear. To determine effects of matrine on proliferation of A549 cells and assess possible mechanisms, MTT assays were employed to detect cytotoxicity, along with o flow cytometric analysis of DNA content of nuclei of cells following staining with propidium iodide to analyze cell cycle distribution. Western blotting was performed to determined expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, VEGF and HDAC1, while a microarray was used to assessed changes of miRNA profiles. In the MTT assay, matrine suppressed growth of human lung cancer cell A549 in a dose- and timedependent manner at doses of 0.25-2.5 mg/ml for 24h, 48h or 72h. Matrine induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and decreased the G2/M phase, while down-regulating the expression of Bcl2 protein, leading to a reduction in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. In addition, matrine down regulated the expression level of VEGF and HDAC1 of A549 cells. Microarray analysis demonstrated that matrine altered the expression level of miRNAs compared with untreated control A549 cells. In conclusion, matrine could inhibit proliferation of A549 cells, providing useful information for understanding anticancer mechanisms.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.779-785
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• 2015

Cathodic protection is recognized as the most cost-effective and technically appropriate corrosion prevention method for the submerged zone of offshore structures, ships, and deep-sea facilities. When cathodic protection is applied, the cathodic currents cause dissolved oxygen reduction, generating hydroxyl ions near the polarized surface that increase the interfacial pH and result in enhanced carbonate ion concentration and precipitation of an inorganic layer whose principal component is calcium carbonate. Depending on the potential, magnesium hydroxide can also precipitate. This mixed deposit is generally called "calcareous deposit." This layer functions as a barrier against the corrosive environment, leading to a decrease in current demand. Hence, the importance of calcareous deposits for the effective, efficient operation of marine cathodic protection systems is recognized by engineers and scientists concerned with cathodic protection in submerged marine environments. Calcareous deposit formation on a marine structure depends on the potential, current, pH, temperature, pressure, sea-water chemistry, flow, and time; deposit quality is significantly influenced by these factors. This study determines how calcareous deposits form in sea water, and assesses the interrelationship of formation conditions (such as the sea water temperature and surface condition of steel), deposited structure, and properties and the effectiveness of the cathodic protection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5263-5272
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• 2012

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in China. Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is a routine auxiliary treatment for GC recommended by the guidelines issued in 2011 by the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, but the relevant credible consequences in China have been insufficient because of China's late start and ethical concerns. Methods: A series of databases, including Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Chinese database of the National Knowledge Infrastructure and the VIP database, were searched by 2 reviewers independently for studies investigating AC for GC through March 2012. The retrieved literature was screened according to the eligibility criteria. Results: A total of 35 randomized control trials (RCTs) were subjected to the final analysis, including 4,043 patients in treatment group and 3,884 in the control group, as well as 4 clinical-control trials (CCTs), which accessed the final analysis with 238 and 252 patients, respectively. AC reduced the risk of death as a protective treatment with statistical significance (HR=0.91, 95%CI: [0.85, 0.97], P=0.002), and it seemed more effective for Asian than non-Asian patients. The effects of AC were not influenced by the starting time (P>0.05). D2 lymphadenectomy-based chemotherapy was effective (HR=0.89, 95%CI: [0.80, 0.99], P=0.04). Oral S-1 40 mg/m2 after D2 lymphadenectomy might be a better choice for Asians with advanced GC and might result in a greater reduction of adverse events than in non-Asian patients. GRADE quality assessment determined that the strength of the evidence from foreign studies from Europe, the United States and Asian countries other than China was high, while it was moderate for Chinese studies. Conclusion: AC was effective or even curative in Chinese patients in general, although it is still necessary to optimize a targeted AC scheme for Chinese patients with GC.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.903-910
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• 2016

In this study, the expression level of estrogen receptor in an ovariectomized rat model was effectively enhanced by MS-10, Cirsium japonicum and Thymus vulgaris extract complex, in a reversible manner. MS-10 plays a positive role in enhancing estrogen activity at low concentrations, leading to improved women's health. In order to determine whether or not MS-10 improves menopausal symptoms clinically, a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled clinical study was carried out on 62 middle-aged women treated with 500 mg of MS-10 or placebo daily for 12 weeks. Clinical menopausal symptoms were evaluated by Kupperman's index (KI) detecting various menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, parenthesis, insomnia, nervousness, melancholia, dizziness, fatigue, rheumatic pain, palpitations, formication, and headaches. Total KI score decreased significantly by about 18% upon ingestion of MS-10. Colpoxerosis, a main symptom of menopause, was significantly reduced by about 21% upon ingestion of MS-10 in contrast to placebo. In addition, reduction of insulin-like growth factor-1 with age was improved by over 10% upon ingestion of MS-10, whereas there were no significant difference with placebo. No side effects appeared after treatment with MS-10. Thus, MS-10 can be suggested as a plausible natural substance for improving women's health.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2011

Objectives : To quantitate the main compounds and investigate the biological activity of Sosiho-tang (Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang, SST), simultaneous determination of baicalin and glycyrrhizin, and anti-inflammatory activity were estimated. Methods : A quantitative analysis was performed using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Reference compounds were separated on a reversed-phase column using gradient elution with water and acetonitrile each containing acetic acid at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. And the productions of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $(PE)E_2$ were examined by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells in the presence of the SST. The anti-inflammatory activity of SST was investigated by carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats. The paw volume was measured at 2 and 4 hr following carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats. Results : The correlation coefficients of the compounds showed good linearity ($r^2$ > 0.9992) over the linear range. The precisions of intra- and inter-day were less than 7.0% of relative standard deviation (RSD) values for baicalin and less than 3.5% of RDS valuse for glycyrrhizin. Recovery rates were within the range of 95.41-101.5%. The contents of baicalin and glycyrrhizin in SST were average 70.52, 6.18 mg/g, respectively. And SST exhibited inhibitory effect on NO production in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells but not on $PGE_2$ production. Oral administration of SST (1 g/kg) showed a reduction in carrageenin-induced paw edema on rats. Conclusions : The analytical method was applied successfully to measure the contents of baicalin and glycyrrhizin in SST which exhibited anti-inflammatory activities.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2013

Pholiota nameko is an edible mushroom belonged to Family Strophariaceae of Agaricales, Basidiomycota. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities for the methanol and hot water extracts prepared from fruiting bodies of Pholiota nameko. Besides measuring for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, a reducing power and a chelating activity on ferrous ions were also measured to evaluate the antioxidant activity for those extracts. To measure the anti-inflammatory activities for the extracts, nitric oxide(NO) production from lipopolysaccharide treated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells and carrageenan-induced acute hind paw edema of rats were investigated. The results showed that those extracts has a excellent chelating activity on the ferrous ions compared with positive controls. And it also turned out that extracts had a good DPPH activity and a reducing power. The NO production in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were decreasing as we increased concentration of those mushroom extracts. Significant reduction of paw edema were also observed at 2~6 h after we treated methanol and hot-water extracts at the 50 mg/kg concentration to the rats which are induced acute hind paw edema by carrageenan treatment. The experimental results suggested that methanol and hot-water extracts of Pholiota nameko fruiting bodies might be used for potential source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.70-77
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• 2012

The Ladle Furnace Slag, about 20% of the electric arc furnace slag, has high content of free CaO and free MgO, which generates the expansion collapse by hydration reaction. Although many researchers have been endeavoring to recycle the EAF reducing slag in construction fields, there is not found the effective recycling method up to now. However, the LFS(Ladle Furnace Slag) contains mineral composition of the system of calcium aluminate with high-reactivity. Therefore, it is possible to developed the quick setting property and the high strength at the early age by the rapid cooling. This study aimed to check the reactive minerals and predict the reactivity with water on the LFS discharged from different steel product plants. The test results show that many types of LFS has hydration reactivity and can use in construction field as a inorganic binder with the rapid setting property.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.57-69
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• 2003

It is well known that many pesticides possess hormonal activity, and affect the developments of wildlife and mammals including human. Currently, pyrethroid insecticides are in worldwide use to control in and outdoor pests, providing potential far environmental exposure. Hormonal activities of these pyrethroid insecticides, however, have been little studied, and the developmental effects of them were no reported. Therefore, we firstly examined the potential estrogenic activities of some pyrethroid insecticides (permethrin, cypermethrin, tetramethrin, deltamethrin, sumithrin, fenvalerate and bioallethrin) by immature rat uterotrophic assay, luciferase reporter gene assay and Calbindin-D$\sub$9k/ (CaBP-9k) gene expression assay. Uterine wet weights were increased by permethrin and the permethrin-induced weights were inhibited by ICI 182780 in the uterolrophic assay. On the other hand tetramethrin significantly reduced uterine and vaginal wet weights, and also inhibited the E2-induced weight increases at all doses tested. Cypermethrin and sumithrin had a tendency to increase uterine weights, although not statistically significant. Permethrin and cypermethrin dose-dependently increased the luciferase activity in reporter gene assay. Northern blot analysis showed that permethrin induced CaBP-9k mRNA expression whereas tetramethrin inhibted. Subsequent studies were conducted to investigate the possible developmental effects of four pyrethroid insecricides (permethrin, cypermethrin, sumithrin and teramethrin). Either diethlbestrol (DES) or 17${\beta}$ -estradiol (E2) was used as a reference control in this study. Pyrethroid insecticides were administered to Sprague Dawley rats via subcutaneous injection at 6 to 18 days of gestation or 1 to 5 days after birth. In utero treatment of permethrin (10mg/kg/day) in female rat resulted in significant increases in uterine and ovarian weights while significant decreases in serum E2 concentration, uterine and ovarian ER${\alpha}$ mRNA levels. Sumithrin and permethrin led to acceleration in vaginal opening of female rat, while delay in preputial separation of male after neonatal treatment. Anogenital distances of PND 18 were significantly reduced in sumthrin-treated, and permerhrin-treated male rats after neonatal treatment. All the pyrethroid insecticides tested caused significant increases in uterine weights on PND 18, while significant reductions in the first diestrus phase when neonataly treated. In addition, exposure to pyrethroids in neonatal period led to significant reduction in relative brain weight in female rat on PND 18, but its weight was recovered in diestrus phase. In summary, Our experimental data demonstrate the possibilities of developmental effects of pyrethroid insecticides via estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.642-648
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• 2008

The aim of this study is to investigate Chegameuiin-tang water extracts (CETE) have potent anti-obesity activities in a high fat diet-induced obesity mouse model. In this study, we designed three group (normal diet group, high fat diet group, high fat diet plus CETE group for 13-week oral administration). Increases in body weight and fat storage were inhibited by 13-week oral administration of CETE at a 500 mg/kg concentration in this animal model, while the amount of food intake was not affected. Results from blood lipid analysis showed that the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were significantly lowered by CETE administration, also HDL-cholesterol was increased more than high fat diet-induced obese mouse. To understand the underlying mechanism at the molecular level, the effects of CETE were examined on the expression of the genes involved in lipogenesis and lipolysis by real-time PCR. In epididymal fat of CETE-treated mice, the mRNA level of lipogenic genes such as sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 and fatty acid synthase were decreased, which was well correlated with the reduction of the epididymal fat weight. Also, CETE administration inhibited decreases of the hormone-sensitve lipase and lipoprotein lipase mRNA expressions, which are genes related with lipolysis. These results suggest that Chegameuiin-tang may have great potential as a novel anti-obesity agent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 2011

Background: Periprocedural treatment with high-dose statins is known to have cardioprotective and pleiotropic effects, such as anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory actions. We aimed to assess the efficacy of high-dose rosuvastatin loading in patients with stable angina undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). Materials and Methods: A total of 142 patients with stable angina who were scheduled to undergo surgical myocardial revascularization were randomized to receive either pre-treatment with 60-mg rosuvastatin (rosuvastatin group, n=71) or no pre-treatment (control group, n=71) before OPCAB. The primary endpoint was the 30-day incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). The secondary endpoint was the change in the degree of myocardial ischemia as evaluated with creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) and troponin T (TnT). Results: There were no significant intergroup differences in preoperative risk factors or operative strategy. MACEs within 30 days after OPCAB occurred in one patient (1.4%) in the rosuvastatin group and four patients (5.6%) in the control group, respectively (p=0.37). Preoperative CK-MB and TnT were not different between the groups. After OPCAB, the mean maximum CK-MB was significantly higher in the control group (rosuvastatin group $10.7{\pm}9.75$ ng/mL, control group $14.6{\pm}12.9$ ng/mL, p=0.04). Furthermore, the mean levels of maximum TnT were significantly higher in the control group (rosuvastatin group $0.18{\pm}0.16$ ng/mL, control group $0.39{\pm}0.70$ ng/mL, p=0.02). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that high-dose rosuvastatin loading before OPCAB surgery did not result in a significant reduction of 30-day MACEs. However, high-dose rosuvastatin reduced myocardial ischemia after OPCAB.