• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.86-113
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• 2018

Objectives: We examined the effects of a mixed formula consisting of dried pomegranate concentrate powder (PCP) and the aqueous extracts of Eucommiae cortex (EC) and Achyranthis radix (AR) in rats with surgically induced osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Two weeks after OA-inducing surgery, a PCP:EC:AR 5:4:1 (g/g) combination or single formula was orally administered. Changes in body weight, knee thickness, maximum knee extension angle, bone mineral density of the knee joints, femoral and tibial articular surfaces, and compressive strength of the femoral and tibial articular cartilage (AC) were assessed, along with the prostaglandin E2 level, 5-lipoxygenase, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity, and chondrogenic gene mRNA expression in the femoral and tibial AC with the synovial membrane (SM). In addition, the number of cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, cyclooxygenase and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$-immunoreactive cells in the femoral and tibial AC with SM were monitored, and the rate of cell proliferation was determined with a 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine uptake assay. Results : The signs of surgically induced OA in rats were significantly inhibited by both PCP, EC and AR combined and single formulas. In particular, the combination formula-treated OA model rats showed dose-dependent, significantly increased inhibitory activity against all tested criteria compared with single formula-treated rats. Conclusions: Taken together, our results suggest that the combination formula synergistically increased the anti-OA effects of its components through anti-inflammatory and chondrogenic activity in rats with surgically induced OA. In addition, 200, 100 and 50 mg/kg combination formula treatments showed dose-dependent inhibitory activity against all of the tested criteria.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.415-425
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• 2016

Purpose: The present study investigated the impact of 2 different suture techniques, the conventional crossed mattress suture (X suture) and the novel hidden X suture, for alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) with an open healing approach. Methods: This study was a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Fourteen patients requiring extraction of the maxillary or mandibular posterior teeth were enrolled and allocated into 2 groups. After extraction, demineralized bovine bone matrix mixed with 10% collagen (DBBM-C) was grafted and the socket was covered by porcine collagen membrane in a double-layer fashion. No attempt to obtain primary closure was made. The hidden X suture and conventional X suture techniques were performed in the test and control groups, respectively. Cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images were taken immediately after the graft procedure and before implant surgery 4 months later. Additionally, the change in the mucogingival junction (MGJ) position was measured and was compared after extraction, after suturing, and 4 months after the operation. Results: All sites healed without any complications. Clinical evaluations showed that the MGJ line shifted to the lingual side immediately after the application of the X suture by $1.56{\pm}0.90mm$ in the control group, while the application of the hidden X suture rather pushed the MGJ line slightly to the buccal side by $0.25{\pm}0.66mm$. It was demonstrated that the amount of keratinized tissue (KT) preserved on the buccal side was significantly greater in the hidden X suture group 4 months after the procedure (P<0.05). Radiographic analysis showed that the hidden X suture had a significant effect in preserving horizontal width and minimizing vertical reduction in comparison to X suture (P<0.05). Conclusions: Our study provided clinical and radiographic verification of the efficacy of the hidden X suture in preserving the width of KT and the dimensions of the alveolar ridge after ARP.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.13-22
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• 2015

The combined impact of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) fouling and inorganic ($CaSO_4,Ca_3(PO_4)_2$) scaling on the retention of TNT (2, 4, 6-Trinitrotoluene), RDX (Hexahydro-1, 3, 5-trinitro-1, 3, 5-triazine) and HMX (1, 3, 5, 7-Tetranitro-1, 3, 5, 7-tetrazocane) explosive contaminants by nano-filtration membrane were studied, since organic fouling and salt scaling are the major limitations for membrane filtration. Results reported here indicate that DOM fouling layer with a humic acid does not necessarily lead to an immediate loss of permeate flux but can result in a severe impact on the flux loss when both humic acid and inorganic scaltants were presented simultaneously. The $Ca_3(PO_4)_2$ mixed with humic acid showd most sever flux loss (42%) compared to that of only humic acid presence (8%). It could be a result that the scaling formation of the NF membrane was dominated by cake layer formation of DOM and it was along with pore blocking by the formation of crystals inside the porous active matrix of the NF membrane. In addition, these results indicated that the membrane selectivity of the explosives retention trended correlated with respect to increasing explosives size (listed by MW) based on greater steric interactions and followed the order (MW, g $mol^{-1}$; removal, %): HMX (296.15; 83%) ${\gg}$ RDX (222.12; 49%) ≋ TNT (227.13; 32%). Because the scaling and fouling layer could lead to a additional cake-enhanced concentration polarisation effect, the retention of explosives with the presence of humic acid in the feed solution and inorganic scaling formation on top of an organic fouling layer do not differ substantially retention from that of pure DI feed and NaCl solution.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2006

Porous polymer gel electrolytes (PGEs) based on poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VdF-co-HFP)) as a polymer matrix and polyvinylpyrolidone (PVP) as a pore-forming agent were prepared and electrochemical properties were investigated for an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) in order to increase a permeability of an electrolyte into the PGE. Propylene carbonate (PC) and ethylene carbonate (EC) as plasticizers, and tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate ($TEABF_4$) as a supporting salt for the PGE were used. EDLC unit cells were assembled with the PGE and electrode comprising BP-20 and MSP-20 as activated carbon powders, Super P as a conducting agent, and P(VdF-co-HFP)/PVP as a mixed binder. Ion conductivity of PGEs increased with an increased PVP content and was the best at 7 wt% PVP, whereas electrochemical characteristics such as AC-ESR of unit cell were better in 3 wt%. And electrochemical characteristics of the unit cell with PGE were the best at a 33 : 33 weight ratio of PC to EC. Specific capacitance of a mixed plasticizer system of PE and EC was higher than that of pure PC. Ion conductivity of PGEs with a film thickness of $20{\mu}m$ was higher, but electrochemical characteristics of unit cells were higher for a $50{\mu}m$ membrane thickness. Also, the unit cell has shown the highest capacitance of 31.41 F/g and more stable electrochemical performance when PGE and electrode were hot pressed. Consequently, the optimum composition ratio of PGE for EDLCs was 23 : 66 : 11 wt% such as P(VdF-co-HFP) : PVP = 20 : 3 wt% and PC : EC = 44 : 22 wt%. In this case, $3.17{\times}10^{-3}S/cm$ of ion conductivity was achieved at the $50{\mu}m$ thickness of PGE for EDLCs. And the electrochemical characteristics of unit cells were $2.69{\Omega}$ of DC-ESR, 28 F/g of specific capacitance, and 100% of coulombic efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.36-48
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• 2008

To repair bone defects in the oral and maxillofacial field, bone grafts including autografts, allografts, and artificial bone are used in clinical dentistry despite several disadvantages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate new bone formation and healing in rat calvarial bone defects using hydroxyapatite (HA, $Ca_{10}[PO_4]_6[OH]_2,\;Bongros^{(R)}$, Bio@ Co., KOREA) and tricalcium phosphate (${\beta}-TCP,\;Ca_3[PO_4]_2$, Sigma-Aldrich Co., USA) mixed at various ratios. Additionally, this study evaluated the effects of type I collagen (Rat tail, BD Biosciences Co., Sweden) as a basement membrane organic matrix. A total of twenty, 8-week-old, male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250-300g, were divided equally into a control group (n=2) and nine experimental groups (n=2, each). Bilateral, standardized transosseous circular calvarial defects, 5.0 mm in diameter, were created. In each experimental group, the defect was filled with HA and TCP at a ratio of 100:0, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, 20:80, and 0:100 with or without type I collagen. Rats were sacrificed 4 and 8 weeks post-operation for radiographic (standardized plain film, Kodak Co., USA), histomorphologic (H&E [Hematoxylin and Eosin], MT [Masson Trichrome]), immunohistochemical staining (for BMP-2, -4, VEGF, and vWF), and elementary analysis (Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, Perkin Elmer AAnalyst $100^{(R)}$). As the HA proportion increased, denser radiopacity was seen in most groups at 4 and 8 weeks. In general radiopacity in type I collagen groups was greater than the non-collagen groups, especially in the 100% HA group at 8 weeks. No new bone formation was seen in calvarial defects in any group at 4 weeks. Bridging bone formation from the defect margin was marked at 8 weeks in most type I collagen groups. Although immunohistochemical findings with BMP-2, -4, and VEGF were not significantly different, marked vWF immunoreactivity was present. vWF staining was especially strong in endothelial cells in newly formed bone margins in the 100:0, 80:20, and 70:30 ratio type I collagen groups at 8 weeks. The calcium compositions from the elementary analysis were not statistically significant. Many types of artificial bone have been used as bone graft materials, but most of them can only be applied as an inorganic material. This study confirmed improved bony regeneration by adding organic type I collagen to inorganic HA and TCP mixtures. Therefore, these new artificial bone graft materials, which are under strict storage and distribution systems, will be suggested to be available to clinical dentistry demands.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.161-170
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• 2018

The epidemic of disorders associated with synthetic stimulants, such as methamphetamine (MA) and amphetamine (AP), is a health, social, legal, and financial problem. Owing to the high potential of their abuse and addiction, reliable analytical methods are required to detect and identify MA, AP, and their metabolites in biological samples. Thus, a dilute-and-shoot liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrophotometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for simultaneous determination of MA, 4-hydroxymethamphetamine (4HMA), AP, and 4-hydroxyamphetamine (4HA) in urine. Urine sample ($100{\mu}L$) was mixed with $50{\mu}L$ of mobile phase consisting of 0.4 % formic acid and methanol and $50{\mu}L$ of working internal-standard solution. Aliquots of $8{\mu}L$ diluted urine was injected into the LC-MS/MS system. For all analytes, chromatographic separation was performed using a C18 reversed-phase column with gradient elution and a total run time of 5 min. The identification and quantification were performed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Linear least-squares regression was conducted to generate a calibration curve, with $1/x^2$ as the weighting factor. The linear ranges were 2.0-200, 1.0-800, and 10-2500 ng/mL for 4HA and 4HMA, AP, and MA, respectively. The inter- and intraday precisions were within 6.6 %, whereas the inter- and intraday accuracies ranged from -14.9 to 11.3 %. The low limits of quantification were 2.0 ng/mL (4HA and 4HMA), 1.0 ng/mL (AP), and 10 ng/mL (MA). The proposed method exhibited satisfactory selectivity, dilution integrity, matrix effect, and stability, which are required for validation. Moreover, the purification efficiency of high-speed centrifugation was clearly higher than 6-15 % for QC samples (n=5), which was higher than that of the membrane-filtration method. The applicability of the proposed method was tested by forensic analysis of urine samples from drug abusers.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

Backgrounds : Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) is known as the chronic inflammatory diseasethat induces persistent inflammation in the joint cavity. The destruction of cartilage occurs as the result of bones destoyed by pannus, several influential cytokines induced by the synovial capsulitis, varieties of proteinases, $O_2$ radicals, and the secondary degenerative changes of articular cartilage. The type 2 collagen-induced arthritis model is used in recent experimental research on rheumatoid arthritis. Cervus elaphus sibiricus (Nockyong) has the effect of relieving pain by nourishing the muscles, joints, and bones. It is also known to be efficacious in promoting and enhancing the immune system. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture to inhibit the generation of proinflammatory enzyme on type 2 collagen-induced arthritis. I investigated the inhibition of mRNA transcription of MIF(macrophage migration inhibitory factor), $TNF-{\alpha}$(Tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$) and MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) of Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture using an in vitro test. Also investigated was the inhibition of differentiation of Th 1 cells and activation of cytokines(MIF, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, MMP-9), which are known to cause initial RA ,and are also related to the morphology of the synovial membranes of the joint capsule, by an in vivo test, using CIA(collagen induced arthritis) model mice. Materials & methods : The laboratory animals used in this experiment were 4 week-old DBA female mice, weighing approximately 20 grams, and adjusted to the laboratory environment. The experiment was divided into the normal group(NOR)-no treated group, control group(CON)-CIA induced group, and sample group(SAM)-Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture treated group. RA was induced in the mice via injection of $50{\mu}{\ell}$ C II mixed CFA. The Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture solution was applied on $GB_{35}$(陽陵泉) for 26 days from the 3rd day of RA inducement. The concentration of the solution was determined via a MTT assay. To research the effect on the expression of MIF, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and MMP-9 mRNA, RT-PCR was performed on synovial membrane cells from the knee joint of CIA mice. C II induced RA knee joint's histo-chemical synovial membrane was observed using a specimen model via the Hematoxilin and Eosin dying technique. Results : The expression of mRNA of RA-related cytokines such as MIF, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and MMP-9 dosedependently decreased in the cell from the synovial membranes of the joint, which is treated with Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture solution. In mice treated with Cervus elaphus sibiricusherbal acupuncture, the damage of synovial membranes of the joint was lessened, and differentiation of Th 1 cells was suppressed. The activation of RA-related cytokines such as MIF was suppressed, and the generation of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and MMP-9 showed a statistically significant decreas. Conclusions : It is speculated that Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture has the therapeutic effect of palliating the damage of the tissue impaired by RA by inhibition of the initial RA progression and by regulating excessive differentiation of Th 1 cell as it suppresses the generation of RA-related cytokines during the highest stage of RA by acting on pro-inflammatory enzymes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: Pesticide residue analysis is an essential activity in order to establish the food safety of agricultural products. Analytical approaches to the food safety are required to meet internationally the guideline of Codex (Codex Alimentarius Commission, CAC/GL 40). In this study, we developed a liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) method to determine the herbicide clopyralid in food matrixes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Clopyralid was extracted with aqueous acetonitrile containing formic acid and the extracts were mixed in a citrate buffer consisted of magnesium sulfate anhydrous, NaCl, sodium citrate dihydrate and disodium hydrogencitrate sesquihydrate followed by centrifugation. The supernatants were filtered through a nylon membrane filter and used for the analysis of clopyralid. The method was validated by accuracy and precision experiments on the samples fortified at 3 different levels of clopyralid. LC-MS/MS in positive mode was employed to quantitatively determine clopyralid in the food samples. Matrix-matched calibration curves were inearranged from 0.001 to 0.25 mg/kg with r2 > 0.994. The limits of detection and quantification were determined to be 0.001 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. There covery values of clopyralid for tified at 0.01 mg/kg in the control samples ranged from approximately 82 to 106% with relative standard deviations below 2 0%. CONCLUSION: The method developed in this study meets successfully the Codex guideline for pesticide residue analysis in food samples. This, the method could be applicable to determine pesticides in foods produced domestically and internationally.