• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.531-538
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• 2015

Preceding infection or inflammation such as bacterial meningitis has been associated with poor outcomes after stroke. Previously, we reported that intracorpus callosum microinjection of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) strongly accelerated the ischemia/reperfusionevoked brain tissue damage via recruiting inflammatory cells into the ischemic lesion. Simvastatin, 3-hydroxy-3-methylgultaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase inhibitor, has been shown to reduce inflammatory responses in vascular diseases. Thus, we investigated whether simvastatin could reduce the LPS-accelerated ischemic injury. Simvastatin (20 mg/kg) was orally administered to rats prior to cerebral ischemic insults (4 times at 72, 48, 25, and 1-h pre-ischemia). LPS was microinjected into rat corpus callosum 1 day before the ischemic injury. Treatment of simvastatin reduced the LPS-accelerated infarct size by 73%, and decreased the ischemia/reperfusion-induced expressions of pro-inflammatory mediators such as iNOS, COX-2 and IL-$1{\beta}$ in LPS-injected rat brains. However, simvastatin did not reduce the infiltration of microglial/macrophageal cells into the LPS-pretreated brain lesion. In vitro migration assay also showed that simvastatin did not inhibit the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1-evoked migration of microglial/macrophageal cells. Instead, simvastatin inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$, a key signaling event in expressions of various proinflammatory mediators, by decreasing the degradation of $I{\kappa}B$. The present results indicate that simvastatin may be beneficial particularly to the accelerated cerebral ischemic injury under inflammatory or infectious conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.579-587
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• 2016

Mastitis is a prevalent inflammatory disease that remains one of the main causes of poor quality of milk. Phytoncides are naturally occurring anti-inflammatory compounds derived from plants and trees. To determine if treatment with phytoncide could decrease the severity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses, mammary alveolar epithelial cells (MAC-T) were pretreated with phytoncide (0.02% and 0.04% (v/v)) followed by LPS treatment (1 and 25 μg/ml). The results demonstrated that phytoncide downregulated LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Additionally, LPS-induced activation of ERK1/2, p38, and Akt was attenuated by phytoncide. Treatment of cells with known pharmacological inhibitors of ERK1/2 (PD98059), p38 (SB203580), and Akt (LY294002) confirmed the association of these signaling pathways with the observed alterations in COX-2 expression. Moreover, phytoncide attenuated LPS-induced NF-κB activation and superoxide production, and, finally, treatment with phytoncide increased Nrf2 activation. Results suggest that phytoncide can decrease LPS-induced inflammation in MAC-T cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1800-1805
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• 2018

Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronically relapsing inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) constitute barrier surfaces and play a critical role in maintaining gut health. Dysregulated immune responses and destruction of IECs disrupt intestinal balance. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) is the most widely used chemical for inducing colitis in animals, and its treatment induces colonic inflammation, acute diarrhea, and shortening of the intestine, with clinical and histological similarity to human UC. Current treatments for this inflammatory disorder have poor tolerability and insufficient therapeutic efficacy, and thus, alternative therapeutic approaches are required. Recently, dietary supplements with probiotics have emerged as promising interventions by alleviating disturbances in the indigenous microflora in UC. Thus, we hypothesized that the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain BB12 could protect against the development of colitis in a DSS-induced mouse model of UC. In the present study, oral administration of BB12 markedly ameliorated DSS-induced colitis, accompanied by reduced tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$-mediated IEC apoptosis. These findings indicate that the probiotic strain BB12 can alleviate DSS-induced colitis and suggest a novel mechanism of communication between probiotic microorganisms and intestinal epithelia, which increases intestinal cell survival by modulating pro-apoptotic cytokine expression.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.287-293
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• 2008

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of fertilization process and embryo development of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (Astragali Radix) to provide basic data needed in its breeding. A. membranaceus showed poor seed setting when self-pollination was induced. When artificial pollination was induced, it showed less than 5% bearing in late August, but more than 13% bearing from the beginning of September 4th. The flower size was about $17.0\;mm{\times}4.0\;mm$ and pistils and stamens had the same length of 15.0mm at flowering stage. When self-pollination or cross-pollination was induced, pollen tubes extended to an ovule. While pollen tube was extending to the ovule, reproductive cell split and formed two male generative nuclei and a vegetative nucleus. In the case of self-pollination, fertilized embryo was not observed, but was formed in the case of cross-pollination. A. membranaceus is noted to have zygote self-incompatibility. In the case of cross-pollination, fertilization was observed in 6 to 8 h after pollination, where apical cell derivatives split after fertilization. A spherical pro-embryo was then formed three days after fertilization. The seed attained full shape with a seed coat showing its distinctive contour 15 days after fertilization. Thus, A. membranaceus in Leguminosae family is found to have zygote selfincompatibility although its flower shape is shown to match the self-compatibility plant.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.88-98
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• 2011

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a X-linked recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanidine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT), enzyme to recycle purines. Case history: born induced vaginal delivery at 40 weeks complicated by premature membrane ruputure, body weight 2.820 gm. He showed failure to thrive showing severe protein aversion like milk products and pink daper. Developmental delay revealing rolling over at 10.5 month, followed by regression. Seizure at 2 months, His poor oral feeding was lifelong problem. Weak crying, spastic, choreoathetoid movement. Self mutilating behavior noted and diagnosed at age 3 years. No family history of consanguinity and neurological disorders. Method: Laboratory test, physical exam, imaging study and molecular. Clinical follow up Treat ment with allopurinol. Result: uric acid 10.5 mg/dL (N 3.5-7.9), APRT 151.1uM/ min/ml pro(25.7-101), HPRT 7.6 (N 233.5-701) and c.151C>T hemizygote (p,Arg51X). Abdominal sonogram showed staghorn calculi in both kidneys, brain MRI brain atrophy. Clinical follow up showed, seizure at 2 mo, developmental delay (head control and, rolling over at at 11mo, pointing body part at 2 yr 7 mo, eye hand coordination at 2 y 11mo,creeping at 3 y 7 mo, speaking words at 6 y 6 mo ),and developmental regression at 3 yr of age. Sleeping problem including insomnia and severe constipation. Self mutilating behavior (lip bite) started at 2.5 yr, neurologic sx including intermittent upward gaze accompanied by swallowing difficulty at 3 y 7 mo grand mal seizure at 4.5 yr and spastic extremity and trunchal hypotonia and choleoathetoid movement and ataxia at 6.5 yr. Scoliosis with severe spasticity at 9 yr 9 mo. Acute life threatening episode with irregular breathing at 9 yr and 9 mo, Emaciation and nephrolithiasis and recurrent pneumonia. Died suddenly at 10 yr 3 mo. Conclusion: life long feeding problem, chronic gut motility dysfunction, sleeping difficulty and progressing neurologic deterioration and nephrolithiasis despite normal serum uric acid maintence by allopurinol treatment.

• Journal of Communications and Networks
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.446-456
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• 2007

Increased access to broadband networks has led to a fast-growing demand for voice and video over IP(VVoIP) applications such as Internet telephony(VoIP), videoconferencing, and IP television(IPTV). For pro-active troubleshooting of VVoIP performance bottlenecks that manifest to end-users as performance impairments such as video frame freezing and voice dropouts, network operators cannot rely on actual end-users to report their subjective quality of experience(QoE). Hence, automated and objective techniques that provide real-time or online VVoIP QoE estimates are vital. Objective techniques developed to-date estimate VVoIP QoE by performing frame-to-frame peak-signal-to-noise ratio(PSNR) comparisons of the original video sequence and the reconstructed video sequence obtained from the sender-side and receiver-side, respectively. Since processing such video sequences is time consuming and computationally intensive, existing objective techniques cannot provide online VVoIP QoE. In this paper, we present a novel framework that can provide online estimates of VVoIP QoE on network paths without end-user involvement and without requiring any video sequences. The framework features the "GAP-model", which is an offline model of QoE expressed as a function of measurable network factors such as bandwidth, delay, jitter, and loss. Using the GAP-model, our online framework can produce VVoIP QoE estimates in terms of "Good", "Acceptable", or "Poor"(GAP) grades of perceptual quality solely from the online measured network conditions.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2011

This study was performed to assess the nutritional status of low income elderly women aged ${\geq}$65 years residing in Gyeongnam Masan (n=124). Nutrition intakes, food intake frequency, and health-related behaviors including smoking, drinking, and exercise were investigated. Nutrition intake was calculated by the 24-hour recall method using CAN-pro (ver. 3.0). Average daily intakes of energy were $1,142.3{\pm}39$ kcal (71.4% of EER) in subjects aged 65~74 years and $1,071.0{\pm}41.7$ kcal (66.9% of EER) in subjects aged ${\geq}$75 years and the subjects consumed energy less than both 75% of estimated energy requirement (EER). The proportions of energy derived from protein, fat, and carbohydrate were 15.4:15.5:70.6 (aged 65~74 years), and 15.3:13.4:70.8 (aged ${\geq}$75). Nutrients consumed at less than estimated average requirements (EARs) were Ca (60.4%), P (98.4%), Zn (91%), vitamin E (48% of adequate intake, AI), vitamin $B_1$ (63.3%), vitamin $B_2$ (54%), niacin (87.7%), vitamin C (62.5%), and folate (50.5%). Especially, the intakes of Ca (58%), vitamin E (41% of AI), vitamin $B_1$ (60%), vitamin $B_2$ (50%), folate (46.5%), and vitamin C (54%) were 75% less than the EAR for people aged ${\geq}$75 years. According to the food intake frequency survey, the intakes of calcium, milk, fruits, and vegetables were very poor. In conclusion, this study suggests that a nutritional support program for elderly women of low socioeconomic class must be provided by the government to improve the quality of remaining life.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.291-298
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• 2020

Tumor angiogenesis is an essential process for growth and metastasis of cancer cells as it supplies tumors with oxygen and nutrients. During tumor angiogenesis, many pro-angiogenic factors are secreted by tumor cells to induce their own vascularization via activation of pre-existing host endothelium. However, accumulating evidence suggests that vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a key alternative mechanism for tumor vascularization when tumors are faced with insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients. VM is a tumor vascularization mechanism in which tumors create a blood supply system, in contrast to tumor angiogenesis mechanisms that depend on pre-existing host endothelium. VM is closely associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in many cancers. Therefore, inhibition of VM may be a promising therapeutic strategy and may overcome the limitations of anti-angiogenesis therapy for cancer patients. In this review, we provide an overview of the current anti-angiogenic therapies for ovarian cancer and the current state of knowledge regarding the links between microRNAs and the VM process, with a focus on the mechanism that regulates associated signaling pathways in ovarian cancer. Moreover, we discuss the potential for VM as a therapeutic strategy against ovarian cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1040-1048
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• 1998

Ferroelectric properties of{{{{ { { { {SrBi }_{2 }Ta }_{2-x }Nb }_{x }O }_{9 } }} (SBIN) thin films were affected by the amount of Bi content in SBTN. The addition of Bi into the SBTN films could be accomplished by heat treating SBTN/Bi2O3/SBTN het-erostructures fabricated by r.f. magnetron sputtering method. The variation of Bi content was controlled by changing the thickness of the sandwiched Bi2O3 in SBTN/Bi2O3/SBTN heterostructure from 50 to 400$\AA$. As changing the thickness of the sandwiched Bi2O3 in Bi2O3 films was increased from 0 to 100$\AA$ the grain grew faster and the ferroelectric pro-perties were improved. On the other hand when the thickness of Bi2O3 films was thicker than 150$\AA$ the fer-roelectric properties were deteriorated Especially for SBTN thin films inserted by 400$\AA$ Bi2O3 layer a Bi2Phase appeared as a second phase resulting in poor ferroelectric properties. The maximum remanent po-larization (2Pr) and coercive field(Ec) were obtained for the SBTN/Bi2O3/(100$\AA$)/SBTN thin films. In this case 2Pr and Ec were 14.75 $\mu$C/cm2 and 53.4kV/cm at an applied voltage of 3V respectively.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2023

Objectives: Socioeconomic inequality in metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains poorly understood in Iran. The present study examined the extent of the socioeconomic inequalities in MetS and quantified the contribution of its determinants to explain the observed inequality, with a focus on middle-aged adults in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease cohort study. A sample of 9975 middleaged adults aged 35-65 years was analyzed. MetS was assessed based on the International Diabetes Federation definition. Principal component analysis was used to construct socioeconomic status (SES). The Wagstaff normalized concentration index (CI_n) was employed to measure the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in MetS. Decomposition analysis was performed to identify and calculate the contribution of the MetS inequality determinants. Results: The proportion of MetS in the sample was 41.1%. The CI_n of having MetS was 0.043 (95% confidence interval, 0.020 to 0.066), indicating that MetS was more concentrated among individuals with high SES. The main contributors to the observed inequality in MetS were SES (72.0%), residence (rural or urban, 46.9%), and physical activity (31.5%). Conclusions: Our findings indicated a pro-poor inequality in MetS among Iranian middle-aged adults. These results highlight the importance of persuading middle-aged adults to be physically active, particularly those in an urban setting. In addition to targeting physically inactive individuals and those with low levels of education, policy interventions aimed at mitigating socioeconomic inequality in MetS should increase the focus on high-SES individuals and the urban population.