• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2000

Antibody responses in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with active and chronic paragonimiasis and in sera from patients on whom follow-up studies were done after praziquantel treatment were analyzed using antigens of Paragonimus westermani prepared from eggs, metacercariae, juveniles of 4-and 7-week old, adult worms and recombinant protein of 28 kDa cruzipain-like cysteine protease (rPw28CCP). The patient sera/CSFs of active and chronic paragonimiasis revealed strong antibody reactions against the crude extracts of 4-and 7-week old juveniles as well as against those from egg and adult. rPw28CCP also showed specific reaction to the sera with active paragonimiasis. After the treatment, levels of specific antibodies in the sera gradually decreased to negative range in most patients. In some cases with persisting high antibody levels, however, the reactions at 27 kDa egg Protein were sustained throughout the observation period of 34 months. The reactions at 35 and 32 kDa in adult extract and rPw28CCP disappeared rapidly after the treatment. Persistent antibody reactions even after successful treatment are provoked by continuous antigenic challenge from eggs which were not resolved by treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.242-246
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• 2000

Radiofrequency medial branch neurotomy is an effective way of controlling pain in the posterior compartment of the spine such as the facet joint, and the interspinous ligament. However, it is difficult to determine the exact location of the medial branch. Up until now we have relied on sensory response provoked by 50 Hz stimulation. The responses elicited using this method are quite subjective and can originate from sources other than the medial branch such as the periosteum, the intermediate or lateral branch. We need a confirmed indicator to locate the medial branch reliably. We applied 2 Hz stimulation under 0.4 volts to locate the medial branch and elicited a motor response. Twitching of multifidus and muscles around the SI joint was observed. The observation of these muscles provides a much more reliable method for confirmation of the medial branch. We have treated 45 chronic nonspecific low back pain patients using radiofrequency medial branch neurotomy with this method of confirming the medial branch.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.208-212
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• 2003

Extended light illumination by street lamp and automobile light has provoked problem in farmland. Night break was imposed by incandescent lamp (50∼60 lux) for 10 minutes every three hours during 12 hours dark period increased culm length compared to continuous dark of 12 hours, and decreased the number of grains per spike in rice. However, these characters were increased by 12 hours dark period with and without night break as compared to 9 hours continuous dark condition. Compared to 12 hours continuous dark condition, night break delayed heading by 9 and 26 days and 9 hours continuous dark condition delayed it by 47 and 41 days in Ilpumbyeo and Hwaseongbyeo, respectively. Night break increased stem length and node number, while decreased pods of soybean cultivar Hwanggeumkong. The stem length and node number were increased by 9 hours continuous dark condition compared to 12 hours dark condition with and without night break. Compared to 12 hours continuous dark rendition, night break delayed flowering by 4 days and to 9 hours continuous dark condition by 19 days.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.312-319
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• 2012

Objective : In patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), the risk factors for seizure and the effect of prophylactic anticonvulsants are not well known. This study aimed to determine the risk factor for seizures and the role for prophylactic anticonvulsants after spontaneous ICH. Methods : Between 2005 and 2010, 263 consecutive patients with spontaneous ICH were retrospectively assessed with a mean follow-up of 19.5 months using medical records, updated clinical information and, when necessary, direct patient contact. The seizures were classified as early (within 1 week of ICH) or late (more than 1 week after ICH). The outcomes were measured with the Glasgow Outcome Scale at discharge and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at both 2 weeks and discharge. Results : Twenty-two patients (8.4%; 9 patients with early seizures and 13 patients with late seizures) developed seizures after spontaneous ICH. Out of 263 patients, prophylactic anticonvulsants were administered in 216 patients. The prophylactic anticonvulsants were not associated with a reduced risk of early (p=0.094) or late seizures (p=0.326). Instead, the factors associated with early seizure were cortical involvement (p<0.001) and younger age (60 years or less) (p=0.046). The risk of late seizure was increased by cortical involvement (p<0.001) and communicating hydrocephalus (p=0.004). The prophylactic anticonvulsants were associated with a worse mRS at 2 weeks (p=0.024) and at last follow-up (p=0.034). Conclusion : Cortical involvement may be a factor for provoked seizures. Although the incidence of early seizures tended to decrease in patients prescribed prophylactic anticonvulsants, no statistical difference was found.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.349-357
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• 2013

6'-O-galloylpaeoniflorin (GPF) is a galloylated derivate of paeoniflorin and a key chemical constituent of the peony root, a perennial flowering plant that is widely used as an herbal medicine in East Asia. This study is the first investigation of the cytoprotective effects of GPF against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced cell injury and death in human HaCaT keratinocytes. GPF demonstrated a significant scavenging capacity against the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, $H_2O_2$-generated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), the superoxide anion radical ($O_2^-$), and the hydroxyl radical (${\cdot}$OH). GPF also safeguarded HaCaT keratinocytes against $H_2O_2$-provoked apoptotic cell death and attenuated oxidative macromolecular damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins. The compound exerted its cytoprotective actions in keratinocytes at least in part by decreasing the number of DNA strand breaks, the levels of 8-isoprostane (a stable end-product of lipid peroxidation), and the formation of carbonylated protein species. Taken together, these results indicate that GPF may be developed as a cytoprotector against ROS-mediated oxidative stress.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 1997

NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (QR) is one of the protective phase II enzymes against toxicity that accomplishes the capacity of detoxification by modulating the effects of mutagens and carcinogens. The detoxification mechanism is that quinone reductase promotes the 2-electron reduction of quinones to hydroquinones which are less reactive. This study is to search new inducers of quinone reductase from natural products, which can be used as cancer chemopreventive agents. Plant extracts were evaluated by using quinone reductase generating system With Hepa 1c1c7 murine hepatoma cell lines for enzyme inducing properties and crystal violet staining method for the measurement of cytotoxicity provoked. We have tested approximately 106 kinds of natural products after partition into n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous layers from 100% methanol extracts of natural products. The ethyl acetate fractions of Vitex rotundifolia $(fruits,\;2FC:\;12.7\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Cnidium officinale $(aerial\;parts,\;2FC:\;10.5\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Chrysanthemum sinese $(flowers,\;2FC:\;17.4{\mu}g/ml)$ and the hexane fractions of Angelica gigas $(roots,\;2FC:\;13.2\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Smilax china $(roots,\;2FC:\;l1.9\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Sophora flavescens $(roots,\;2FC:\;16.3\;{\mu}g/ml)$ revealed the significant induction of quinone reductase in a murine hepatic Hepa 1c1c7 cell culture system.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.207-224
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• 2011

Diseases caused by plant pathogenic bacteria constitute an emerging threat to global food security. Xanthomonas is a large genus of Gram-negative bacteria that cause disease in several host plants leading to considerable losses in productivity and quality of harvests. Despite the ranges of controlling techniques available, the microbiological safety of economically important crops and crop plants including fruits and vegetables continues to be a major concern to the agriculture industry. On the other hand, many of the currently available antimicrobial agents for agriculture are highly toxic, non-biodegradable and cause extended environmental pollution. Besides, the use of antibiotics has provoked an increased resistance among the bacterial pathogens and their pathovars. Thus, novel efficient and safe remedies for controlling plant bacterial diseases are necessary. There has been an increasing interest worldwide on therapeutic values of natural products such as essential oils, hence the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the published data on the antibacterial efficacy of essential oils that could be considered suitable for application in agriculture as biocontrol measures against plant pathogenic bacteria of Xanthomonas species. The current knowledge on the use of essential oils to control Xanthomonas bacteria in vitro and in vivo models has been discussed. A brief description on the legal aspects on the use of essential oils against bacterial pathogens has also been presented. Through this review, a mode of antibacterial action of essential oils along with their chemical nature and the area for future research have been thoroughly discussed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.431-443
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• 2017

This study explored factors influencing socialization of child care. Political ideology and age were found as major predicting factors of socialization of care. Age, especially, was confirmed as an important predicting factor of socialization of care. Also, those with more progressive political ideology had the higher level of socialization of care. This finding reassured that socialization of care were considered as political issues in Korea. Income did not predict socialization of care, although it is said that a tax increase provoked conflicts between socioeconomic classes. Issues of caring were shared among people regardless of income levels. Therefore, specific interventions are necessary for preventing caring issues from using as a political lever, overcoming value differences between generations, and promoting social integration.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.425-431
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• 2018

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is a principal component of cigarette smoke. B[a]P can cause lung carcinogenesis and plays a key role in lung cancer progression. The role of B[a]P has been reported in lung cancer, but its effects on lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) have not been investigated. Emerging evidence indicates that CSCs are associated with carcinogenesis, tumor initiation, relapse, and metastasis. Therefore, targeting CSCs to defeat cancer is a challenging issue in the clinic. This study explored whether B[a]P alters gene expression in lung cancer cells and CSCs. The lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line was used to investigate the role of B[a]P on lung cancer cells and lung CSCs using microarray and quantitative PCR. B[a]P ($1{\mu}M$) provoked gene expression changes in A549 cancer cells and CSCs by deregulating numerous genes. Gene pathway analysis was performed using GeneMANIA and GIANT. We identified genes that were coexpressed and showed physical interactions. These findings improve our understanding of the mechanism of B[a]P in lung cancer and cancer stem cells and can be an attractive therapeutic target.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.197-201
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• 2016

Because of its anatomical location and function, the costotransverse (CTRV) joint can be a source of thoracic back pain. In this retrospective observational study, we evaluated the clinical effectiveness of the CTRV joint injection in thoracic back pain patients with suspected CTRV joint problems. We enrolled 20 thoracic back pain patients with localized tenderness that was provoked by the application of pressure on the affected CTRV joints. We injected it with 0.5 ml of a ropivacaine and triamcinolone mixture at each level. The mean pre-injection pain score decreased by 37.9% ($7.2{\pm}1.5$ to $4.5{\pm}1.7$, P < 0.001) two weeks after CTRV joint injection. In addition, 70% of patients reported an excellent or good level of satisfaction. We demonstrated that an ultrasound-guided injection of the CTRV joint reduced patients' pain scores and led to a high level of satisfaction at short-term follow-ups in patients with suspected CTRV joint problems.