• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.343-347
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• 1994

Effects of betaine on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity were examined on primary culturs of chicken embryonic brain cells and on rat cortical cultures. Betaine was found to attenuate glutamate-induced neurotoxicity both morphologically and biochemically. A 30 min exposure of chicken embryonic brain cells cultured for 12 days to 500 .mu.M glutamate produced wide-spread acute neuronal swelling and neurtic fragmentation. A 2-h pretreatment of cultured chicken embryonic brain cells with i mM betaine prior to a 30 min exposure to 500 , mu, M glutamate significantly raised the survival rate of neurons in the culture. When chicken embryonic brain cells were pretreated for 2 h with i mM betaine followed by exposure to 100 .mu.M glutamate for 42 h, lactate dehydrogenase levels within the cells remained at 62% of .mu.M untreated control values while glutamate-treated control fell to 0% lactate dehydrogenase. Betaine also exerted attenuating effects on N-methyl-D-asparte-, kainate-and quisqualate-induced neurotoxicity in a similar manner to that observed with glutamate. Similar neuroprotective effects of betaine with rat cortical cultures.

• Journal of the Korean Statistical Society
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.519-532
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• 2002

K-means clustering is a well-known partitioning method of multivariate observations. Recently, the method is implemented broadly in data mining softwares due to its computational efficiency in handling large data sets. However, it does not yield a suitable visual display of multivariate observations that is important especially in exploratory stage of data analysis. The aim of this study is to develop a K-means clustering method that enables visual display of multivariate observations in a low-dimensional space, for which the projection pursuit method is adopted. We propose a computationally inexpensive and reliable algorithm and provide two numerical examples.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.204-211
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• 2002

Combustion experiments are carried out to obtain the fundamental data for application of a internally circulating fluidized bed combustor to the combustion of paper sludge wastes. Experimental parameters are identified as secondary air ratio, sludge weight and water contents. The secondary air ratio was varied from 0 to 20% and water content was 14%, 25%, 35%, 45%, 62% and sludge weight was 30g, 60g, 90g. As a result, carbon conversion ratio was higher than injection of primary air. Emission of CO and NOx reduced with an increase of secondary air injection.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 1996

The aim of present study was to characterize phosphate uptake and to investigate the mechanism for the insulin and insulin-like growth factor(IGF) stimulation of phosphate uptake in primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubule cells. Results were as follows : 1. The primary cultured proximal tubule cells had accumulated $6.68{\pm}0.70$ nmole phosphate/mg protein in the presence of 140 mM NaCl and $2.07{\pm}0.17$ nmole phosphate/mg protein in the presence of 140 mM KCl during a 60 minute uptake period. Raising the concentration of extracellular phosphate to 100 mM$(48.33{\pm}1.76\;pmole/mg\;protein/min)$ induced decrease in phosphate uptake compared with that in control cells maintained in 1 mM phosphate$(190.66{\pm}13.01\;pmole/mg\;protein/min)$. Optimal phosphate uptake was observed at pH 6.5 in the presence of 140 mM NaCl. Phosphate uptake at pH 7.2 and pH 7.9 decreased to $83.06{\pm}5.75%\;and\;74.61{\pm}3.29%$ of that of pH 6.5, respectively. 2. Phosphate uptake was inhibited by iodoacetic acid(IAA) or valinomycin treatment $(62.41{\pm}4.40%\;and\;12.80{\pm}1.64%\;of\;that\;of\;control,\;respectively)$. When IAA and valinomycin were added together, phosphate uptake was inhibited to $8.04{\pm}0.61%$ of that of control. Phosphate uptake by the primary proximal tubule cells was significantly reduced by ouabain treatment$(80.27{\pm}6.96%\;of\;that\;of\;control)$. Inhibition of protein and/or RNA synthesis by either cycloheximide or actinomycin D markedly attenuated phosphate uptake. 3. Extracellular CAMP and phorbol 12-myristate 13 acetate(PMA) decreased phosphate uptake in a dose-dependent manner in all experimental conditions. Treatment of cells with pertussis toxin or cholera toxin inhibited phosphate uptake. cAMP concentration between $10^{-6}\;M\;and\;10^{-4}\;M$ significantly inhibited phosphate uptake. Phosphate uptake was blocked to about 25% of that of control at 100 ng/ml PMA. 3-Isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine(IBMX) inhibited phosphate uptake. However, in the presence of IBMX, the inhibitory effect of exogenous cAMP was not significantly potentiated. Forskolin decreased phosphate transport. Acetylsalicylic acid did not inhibit phosphate uptake. The 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycorol(DAG) and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn- glycerol(OAG) showed a inhibitory effect. However, staurosporine had no effect on phosphate uptake. When PMA and staurosporine were treated together, inhibition of phosphate uptake was not observed. In conclusion, phosphate uptake is stimulated by high sodium and low phosphate and pH 6.5 in the culture medium. Membrane potential and intracellular energy levels are also an important factor fer phosphate transport. Insulin and IGF-I stimulate phosphate uptake through a mechanisms that involve do novo protein and/or RNA synthesis and decrease of intracellular cAMP level. Also protein kinase C(PKC) is may play a regulatory role in transducing the insulin and IGF-I signal for phosphate transport in primary cultured proximal tubule cells.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.494-503
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• 1992

The durability of the xenograft cardiac substitute valves is of a great concern on the clinical grounds. Four groups of tc tal and consecutive patients to the end of study operated on between 1976 and 1984 were Group ISM, 291 patients of MVR, ISA, 65 patients of AVR, and ISMA, 107 patients of MVR+AVR with the standard Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial valve, and H, 163 patients of valve replacement with the Hancock porcine aortic vlave. Operative mortality was 5.2%[ISM], 10.8%[ISA], 7.5%[ISMA] and 6.1%[H]. Early survivors were followed up for a total of 1148.3 patient-years[pt-yrs] [ISM], 271.2 pt-yrs [ISA], 488.1 pt-yrs[ISMA] and 822.9 pt-yrs[H]. Linearized late mortality was 2.1% /pt-yr [ISM], 1.l%/pt-yr[ISA], 1.8%/pt-yr[ISMA] and 1.8% /pt-yr[H]. Thromboembolic complication was experienced at the linearized rate of 1.045% /pt-yr [ISM], 1.475%/pt-yr[ISA], 0.615%/pt-yr[ISMA] and 1.822%/pt-yr[H], and bleeding complication at the rate of 0.871% /pt-yr[ISM], 0.63% /pt-yr[ISA], 0.205% /pt-yr [ISMA] and 0.729%a /pt-yr[H], respectively. Prosthetic valve endocarditis occurred at the rate of 0.610% /pt-yr[ISM], 1.475% /pt-yr[ISA], 1.639% /pt-yr[ISMA] and 0.972% /pt-yr[H]. The linearized annual incidence of primary tissue failure was 1.655%/pt-yr[ISM], l. 475%/pt-yr[ISA], 1.639% /pt-yr[ISMA], 2.187% /pt-yr[H] and 1.785% /pt-yr[Group HM : MVR with Hancock valve]. The incidence of tissue failure was significantly high in the patients younger than 30 years of age compared with the older patients. The actuarial survival was 87.7$\pm$2.5% at 10 years[ISM], 94.3$\pm$3.2% at 11 years[ISA], 89.6$\pm$3.4% at 10 years[ISMA] and 81.3$\pm$6.6% at 12 years[HM], The freedom from thromboembolism was 93.2$\pm$2.0% at 10 years[ISM], 90.6$\pm$4.6% at 11 years[ISA], 95.8$\pm$2.6% at 10 years[ISMA] and 80.9$\pm$11.1% at 12 years[HM], And, the freedom from primary tissue failure was 84.2$\pm$3.8% and 28.1$\pm$23.0% at 9 and 10 years[ISM], 60.4$\pm$16.9% at 11 years[ISA], 62.3$\pm$12.7 at 10 years[ISMA] and 65.6$\pm$9.8% at 12 years[HM]. In conclusion, the standard Ionescu-Shiley and the Hancock bioprosthetic valves are excellent in their antithrombogenicity and long-term survival. However, the features of the structural failure with the prolonged follow-up beyond 10 years appear to be guarding, and the clinical indications of these bioprostheses seem to be quite limited.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.315-323
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• 1994

Mammalian oviductal epithelial cells have been known to improve in vitro fertilization and embryonic development. Recently, co-cultured human embryos with the epithelial cells in human genital tract has been reported to improve the pregnancy rate. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the epithelial cells of human genital tract on the development of mouse early embryos and human fertilized oocytes. The epithelial cells of human genital tract were collected from the fallopian tubes which were obtained during hysterectomy in fertile women and from the endometrium during endometrium biopsy. Collected human ampullary cells(HACs) and endometrial cells(HECs) were cultured for 10 days to establish primary monolayer. Second passaged HACs and HECs were obtained by trypsinization were cryopreserved in PBS with 1.5 M DMSO for later use. To investigate the effect when co-cultured with HACs and HECs, we tried to apply strict quality control on mouse embryo, from two cell to blastocyst prior to human trial. The results of quality control were as follows; In Group I (Ham's F10 with 10% FCS), Group IT (co-cultured with HACs) and Group ill (co-cultured with HECs), developmental rates to blastocyst were 63.3%(253/400), 76.0%(304/ 400),74.0%(296/400), respectively. Hatching rates were 36.8%(147/400), 41.80/0(167/400), 38.0%(152/400), respectively(p<0.05). To perform the human IVF, cryopreserved HACs were thawed at 37$^{\circ}C$ waterbath, seeded on the well dish and cultured for 48 hI'S. The pronuclear stage embryos were transferred to the seeded well dish. After 24 hRS, co-cultured embryos were examined and transferred to patient's uterus. The results of human IVF when co-cultured with HACs were that fertilization and developmental rates were 61.8% (256/414), 95.3% (244/256) as compared with 57.2% (279/488) and 94.6%(264/279) in Ham's F10 supplemented with 10% FCS(control). However, 62.9% (161/256) of co-cultured human embryos showed good embryos(no or slight fragmentation) as compared with 53.8 % (150/279) in control(p < 0.05). Pregnancy rate was 40.0% (12/30) when co-cultured with HACs whereas 30.6%(11/36) in control. In conclusions, co-culture system using HACs and HECs improved the developmental and hatching rates of mouse embryo. Also, in human IVF system when co-cultured with HACs, it improved both the quality of human embryos and the pregnancy rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.49-62
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• 2002

This study was intended to examine the pattern and level of experience of voice problems and risk factors in school teacher, to offer basic data to prevent voice problems. The subjects were 180 school teachers from primary, middle, and high school teachers in C City, Chonbuk. Data were collected by questionnaires survey from April 30, 2001 to May 10, 2001. 56.6% of the subjects experienced voice problems such as "H-notes difficult"($2.68{\pm}.86$), followed by "Tired voice"($2.32{\pm}.93$), "Effortful voice"($2.27{\pm}.90$), and "Drying of throat"($2.21{\pm}.91$). According to general characteristics, smoking subjects showed higher voice problem than no smoking subjects and this difference was statistically significant(t=2.76, p=.007). According to voice related characteristics, "Speaking loudly" subjects showed higher voice problem than those no "Speaking loudly"(t=-2.02, p=.045). "Speaking effortful" subjects measured higher voice problem than those of "Speaking effortful" and this difference was statistically significant(t=-3.34, p=.001). The inspection of the relation of cause affecting school teachers showed that it had an interacting effect of voice habit, smoking, experienced voice problem, treatment(due to voice problem) experience, by staged it accounted for 55.3% of the total voice problem. The total voice problem indicated a positive correlation(p=.000). Conclusion: over half of the school teachers have experienced voice problems, higher perceived related of voice symptom and physical symptom factors. Also, because there are significant differences in voice problem according to smoking, voice habits of "Speaking loudly", "Speaking effortful", experienced voice problem, treatment(due to voice problem) experience.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 1982

DNA synthesis, unscheduled DNA synthesis, excision of pyrimidine dimers and phtoreactivation were determined in UV-irradiated differentiating muscle cells at various times of primary culture of 12 day chick embryos and results obtained were as follows. The rates of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis were increased as increase of UV dose. And the rates were gradually decreased as the increase of time after culture, but at higher doses the decreasing tendency was remarkable. The patterns of DNA replication were changed drastically as a function of time so that in the seven day cultures the rate of $^3$H-thymidine incorporation was found to be 0.2% of the original activity. The pattern of inhibition of DNA replication by UV damage demonstrated that in cells of earlier stages there were no remarkable changes, but in cells of later stages there was significant fluctuation. Photoreactivation and the excision of pyrimidine dimer in the one day cultures showed that photoreactivation occurred immediately after UV-irradiation, but excision of pyrimidine dimer was gradually and slowly occurred. These results indicate that the differentiation of embryonic muscle cells accompanies the gradual reduction of DNA replication and unscheduled DNA synthesis, and that the photoreactivation is rapid process compared to excision repair.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.530-543
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• 1994

To study the feasibility of transmucosal delivery of leucine enkephalin (Leu-Enk) and $[D-ala^2]$-leucine enkephalinamide (YAGFL), their degradation extents and pathways in various rabbit mucosa extracts were investigated by high performance liquid chromatography. The degradation of Leu-Enk and YAGFL was observed to follow the first-order kinetics. The degradation half-lives of Leu-Enk in the nasal, rectal and vaginal mucosal extracts were 1.62, 0.37 and 1.12 hrs and those of YAGFL were 30.55, 9.70 and 6.82 hrs, respectively, indicating Leu-Enk was degraded in a more extensive and rapid manner than YAGFL. But the mucosal and serosal extracts of the same mucosa showed the similar degradation rates for both pentapeptides. The degradation was most rapid in the neutral pH and increasing concentrations of substrates retarded the degradation rates. The maior hydrolytic fragments of Leu-Enk were Des-Tyr-Leu-Enk and tyrosine, indicating the enzymatic hydrolysis by aminopeptidases. However, the data also suggested endopeptidases such as dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase and dipeptidyl aminopeptidase could play some role in the degradation of Leu-Enk. On the other hand, the hydrolytic fragments of YAGFL in all the mucosa extracts were mainly Tyr-D-Ala-Gly and Phe-Leu-Amide, demonstrating the hydrolytic breakdown by endopeptidases. The degradation pathways were further explored by concomitantly determining the formation of smaller metabolites of primary hydrolytic fragments of Leu-Enk and YAGFL in the mucosa extracts.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.371-381
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• 1997

Precipitation sampls were collected in Chonju-city during October 1994 to September 1995 and were analysed for major ions (N $a^{+}$, $K^{+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, C $l^{[-10]}$ , NO/$_3$, S $O_4$$^{2-}$) and trace metals (Al, Cd, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn) in addition to pH, in order to understand the chemical characteristics of acid rain and to estimate the origin of the determined ions. Most rain showed a neutral or alkaline character, and only 35% had a pH lower than 5.6. S $O_4$$^{2-}$ and N $O_3$$^{[-10]}$ are identified as the primary contributors to precipitation acidity in this region. Neutralization of precipitation acidity occurs as a result of the dissolution of alkaline compounds containing $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and $K^{+}$. S $O_4$$^{2-}$ and N $O_3$$^{[-10]}$ precipitation concentrations exhibit a seasonal pattern in which higher concentrations are observed during spring months and lower concentrations during summer months. However, the seasonal behavior of $H^{+}$ concentrations differs from this pattern, in that the highest concentrations occur during autumn months, owing to the different influence of neutralization processes. In all rain, S $O_4$$^{2-}$ concentration exceeded NO/$_3$$^{[-10]}$ concentration. The contribution of maritime sources to the total S $O_4$$^{2-}$ concentration was very low or negligible. For rain strongly affacted by yellow sand, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and $K^{+}$ ions show a sharp increase in concentration, reflecting the increased amount of dust and soil suspended in atmosphere. At the same time, S $O_4$$^{2-}$ and N $O_3$$^{[-10]}$ concentrations are at their highest levels while $H^{+}$ values are not comparably elevated, presumably beacause much of the acidity has been neutralized by alkaline substances. The seasonal variance of trace metal concentrations in rainwater is similar to that of major cations. The annual wet flux of acidic pollutants and trace metals wat calculated to be as follows: N $O_3$$^{[-10]}$ ; 2.32 g/$m^2$, S $O_4$$^{2-}$, 5.34 g/$m^2$, Al; 6.30 mg/$m^2$, Cd; 0.62 mg/$m^2$, Ni; 4.08 mg/$m^2$, Pb: 9.76 mg/$m^2$, Sr; 5.94 mg/$m^2$, Zn; 111 mg/$m^2$./$m^2$.