• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2014

${\alpha}$-Asarone exhibits a number of pharmacological actions including neuroprotective, anti-oxidative, anticonvulsive, and cognitive enhancing action. The present study investigated the effects of ${\alpha}$-asarone on pro-inflammatory cytokines mRNA, microglial activation, and neuronal damage in the hippocampus and on learning and memory deficits in systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated C57BL/6 mice. Varying doses of ${\alpha}$-asarone was orally administered (7.5, 15, or 30 mg/kg) once a day for 3 days before the LPS (3 mg/kg) injection. ${\alpha}$-Asarone significantly reduced TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA at 4 and 24 hours after the LPS injection at dose of 30 mg/kg. At 24 hours after the LPS injection, the loss of CA1 neurons, the increase of TUNEL-labeled cells, and the up-regulation of BACE1 expression in the hippocampus were attenuated by 30 mg/kg of ${\alpha}$-asarone treatment. ${\alpha}$-Asarone significantly reduced Iba1 protein expression in the hippocampal tissue at a dose of 30 mg/kg. ${\alpha}$-Asarone did not reduce the number of Iba1-expressing microglia on immunohistochemistry but the average cell size and percentage areas of Iba1-expressing microglia in the hippocampus were significantly decreased by 30 mg/kg of ${\alpha}$-asarone treatment. In the Morris water maze test, ${\alpha}$-asarone significantly prolonged the swimming time spent in the target and peri-target zones. ${\alpha}$-Asarone also significantly increased the number of target heading and memory score in the Morris water maze. The results suggest that inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglial activation in the hippocampus by ${\alpha}$-asarone may be one of the mechanisms for the ${\alpha}$-asarone-mediated ameliorating effect on memory deficits.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1021-1032
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• 1997

Satellite-tracked drifters deployed in the East Sea since 1991 are used to study the Tsushima Current (TC). It is found that the TC is a steady current with a mean speed of 10 cm/s before it enters the East Sea. Only during the summer, the TC flows along Honshu Island with a mean speed of $30\~40\;cm/s$ and then exits through the Tsugaru Strait. In fall and winter, the TC does not follow the coast along Honshu Island but it enters into the interior of the East Sea before it reaches the Tsugaru Strait. The water that passes the West Channel of the Korea Strait mostly comes from the western East China Sea and spreads into the interior of the East Sea. It also forms the large eddies in the southern East Sea. The outflow through the Tsugaru Strait comes from the interior of the East Sea in all seasons except summer. The mean speed of the Tsugaru Strait outflow is about 60 cm/s. The largest current variability is found in the eastern central area of the East Sea, south of sub-polar front.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.123.2-124
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• 2001

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.133-156
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• 2009

We have named the sea surrounded by the Korean Peninsula, Primorye of Russia, and Japanese Islands as the East Sea. Historically this region has been variously named the East Sea, Chosun Sea, and, more recently, Japan Sea and Sea of Japan. Since the scientific research papers can play important roles on the naming the sea, the status of naming the East Sea in international scientific journals was investigated. Among 472 papers in 46 international journals that we assessed, Japan Sea (or Sea of Japan) was used in 322 papers (68.2%), East Sea was used in 21 papers (4.4%), and parallel usage of East Sea and Japan Sea accounted for 27.3% (129 papers). In all scientific papers before the early 1980s, East Sea was not used. Since the first parallel usage of East Sea and Japan Sea in 1985, these designations has been increasingly used. After 2004, the parallel usage has replaced the single designation of Japan Sea.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1895-1898
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• 2013

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.56-61
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• 2005

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Baekyeum (BKE) on intestinal motility. Methods: The effects of BKE on intestinal motility at the physiological state were evaluated by determination of intestinal motility after administration of a charcoal meal. The effects of BKE on intestinal motility at cabachol-induced activated state and loperamide induced suppressed state were also evaluated by determination of intestinal motility after administration of charcoal meal. Results: BKE didn't affect the intestinal motility in physiological state, and BKE didn't affect the intestinal motility at the carbachol-induced activated state. BKE activated significantly the intestinal motility at the loperamide-induced suppressed state. Conclusions: It can be concluded that BKE is an effective herbal prescription for cancer-patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction, especially intestinal stasis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1 s.61
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• pp.76-84
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• 2005

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the protective efficacy of GHT on alcoholic liver injury. Methods: We measured the rate of alcohol oxidation, serum level of liver enzyme, lipid peroxidation level in liver tissue, and inflammatory related cytokine expressions in the liver. Results : GHT showed liver protective effects, lowered the levels of AST and LDH in serum and inhibited lipid peroxidation in liver tissue, and enhanced alcohol oxidation. GHT treatment up-regulated IL-10 in the liver, whereas it down­regulated $TNF-\alpha,\;TGF-\beta$, and Fas ligand. Conclusion : From these results, GHT is presumed to work in the liver in protective roles not through the pathway of alcohol metabolism but mainly by anti-inflammation activity in our model.

• Asian review of World Histories
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.197-216
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• 2014

This paper examines A. G. Frank's views about 15th-19th Korea (Joseon Dynasty) in his Reorient. A. G. Frank recognized that Korea might have played a great role in the international relations of East Asia, but he did not write systematically about it and he did not treat Korea as an independent player in the history of East Asia. I think the greatest limitation to his re-interpretation of East Asia is in that he depends too much on China's and Japan's perspective. In order to overcome Frank's shortcomings regarding the history of Korea, first I examine what Frank recognized about the Joseon dynasty between 1400 and 1800. Next I compare Joseon's development to that of China and Japan between 1400 and 1800. Frank compared Europe and East Asia (mainly China and Japan) from three aspects of quantities (population, production, productivity, and trade), qualities (science and technology), and mechanism (economic and financial institutions). With this research we insist that Joseon should not be dismissed in 15th-19th East Asia. The reasons are as follows. First, Joseon between 1400 and 1800 had developed economically as much as China and Japan. Second, Joseon had played a great role in connecting China and Japan and had a positive influence on the development of Japan. So we need to reappraise Reorient's view about East Asia. Only when role of Joseon can be correctly estimated, the dynamics and diversity of East Asia can be properly understood.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.161-170
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• 2004

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Armillaria mellea extract (AME) on immune modulation focused on anti-cancer activity. Methods : To prove the effects of AME, we performed NO assay, NK cytotoxicity assay and RT-PCR of cytokine related with macrophage and NK cell activity. Results : AME increased NO production produced by macrophages in part. AME also enhanced the NK cell activities in destroying target cells (YAC-1 cells). AME up-regulated gene expression of IL-l, iNOS, TNF-a in RAW 264.7 cells and IL-l, IL-2, IFN-(equation omitted), TNF-a in splenocytes, respectively. Conclusion : From the above results, we assumed that AME is a potential drug for anti-cancer by activation of the macrophages and NK cells.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1363-1371
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• 2013

In this study, we estimate the interannual spatial and temporal distributions of fishing grounds at night in the East Sea based on satellite and in-situ data. We observe that the $15^{\circ}C$ thermal front moves in the north-south direction according to the movement of the warm water (above $18^{\circ}C$) in the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) area, forcing the cold water area (below $10^{\circ}C$) to either expand or shrink. The interannual variations of sea surface temperature (SST) in winter represented by the indicator SST of $6^{\circ}C$ are consistent with the east-west zonal areas in the central East Sea which represented over $1^{\circ}C$ standard deviation of SST in February during 1990-2000. Annual SST in the fishing grounds of common squid fishing vessels, observed both by fishing vessels and satellites range from 9-$22^{\circ}C$, with the satellite-observed data having a larger range than the fishing vessel-based ones. The interannual distributions of the common squid fishing grounds in the East Sea are mostly concentrated in the TWC area in the southwestern part of the East Sea and in the coast of southern Honshu and Hokkaido in Japan. The interannual distributions of the nighttime fishing vessels are consistent with the catches investigated from the fishing vessel.