• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.507-515
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• 2014

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is commonly found in aging men, is characterized by hyperplasia of prostatic stromal and epithelial cells beginning in the periurethral zone of the prostate. The prevalence of BPH increases in an age-dependent manner. Here, we investigated the protective effects of unripe Rubus occidentalis extracts (UROE) on BPH development using a prostate cancer cell line and testosterone-induced BPH rat model. Experiments using an established hormone-dependent prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP) showed that UROE treatment significantly decreased expression of androgen-related genes, including androgen receptor (AR), prostate specific antigen (PSA), and 5-alpha reductase 2, but not 5-alpha reductase 1, which was also observed in flutamide-treated cells. Further, AR and PSA gene expression was reduced by UROE treatment under androgen-stimulated conditions using dihydrotestosterone (DHT). BPH animals displayed elevated prostate weights. However, UROE as well as finasteride treatment significantly reduced prostate weights and DHT levels compared to testosterone-induced BPH animals. Histopathological analysis also showed that UROE treatment suppressed testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia. Taken together, the results suggest that UROE may effectively inhibit the development of BPH and thus may be a useful agent in BPH treatment.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.459-483
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• 2010

This study aims to develop materials related to math education for the aged and to identify the effects of application as part of active measures to the aging society with its growing elderly population which is one of the greatest changes in our society. In this purpose, the necessity and objectives for development of materials of 'Silver Math' as education for the aged are explained. Developing and disseminating materials with a role as a program for intelligent needs and physical and spiritual health of the aged presents standards for development of more systemic and meaningful educational materials at this point of time when the importance of education of the aged increases to help the old enjoy qualitatively successful lives in later years in the perspective of lifelong education. Also it aims to present standards of contents and requirements in learning that are adequate and meaningful to old learners at the actual learning sites where education takes place only in terms of making good use of spare time while at the same time suggesting plans of teaching and learning as well as conditions for learning environment. Next, the effectiveness of 'Silver Math' are explored by applying developed materials to the aged. materials of 'Silver Math' for the aged with contents that are appropriate to the definitive and cognitive level of the aged are presented. The developed materials for mathematical activities are divided into 'computation of basic numbers' for those wishing to learn calculation and concepts of numbers, 'active math' that corresponds to definitive factors of old learners, facilitates leisure time through mathematical activities, and Improves communication abilities through cooperative learning among learners, and 'math with thinking power' to solve simple calculation problems by applying to various actual situations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1244-1251
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• 2014

Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) has been known to possess many biological effects, including anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy activity and anti-obesity and hyperlipidemia effects. However, little research has been conducted regarding its anticancer effects, with the exception of its ability to stimulate apoptosis in skin cells. There has also been no study regarding PG-induced autophagy. The modulation of autophagy is recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. Depending on the type of cancer and the context, autophagy can suppress or help cancer cells to overcome metabolic stress and the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate whether or not extracts from PG-induced cell death were connected with autophagy and apoptosis in HCT-116 human colon cancer cells. PG stimulation decreased cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner and induced apoptosis, which was partially dependent on the activation of caspases. PG treatment also resulted in the formation of autophagic vacuoles simultaneously with regulation of autophagy-related genes. Interestingly, a PG-mediated apoptotic effect was further triggered by pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenin and bafilomycin A1. However, cell viability recovered quite well with bafilomycin A1 treatment. These findings show that PG treatment promotes both autophagy and apoptosis and that PG-induced autophagic response might play a role in the autophagic cell death of HCT-116 cells.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1476-1484
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• 2004

Aging is characterized by an age-dependent reduction in bone density. Pronounced bone loss by postmenopausal estrogen deficiency induces a bad effect on dynamic balance of bone metabolism. When the bone density is reduced to the level below the fracture threshold, the risk for fracture is greatly increased. The purpose of this study is to examine what are the effects of the Guisinhwan(GSH : 歸腎丸) on the ovariectomized rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The results of the experiment are as follows: Body weight in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in GSH-treated showed no change in comparison with control. The level of serum albumin in control group showed significant decrease in comparison with sham. That in GSH-treated was slightly decreased in comparison with control. The level of serum ALP activity in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in GSH-treated was significantly decreased in comparison with control. The level of serum phosphorous, calcium, GOT, GPT, T3 did not significant change among the three groups. The level of serum estrogen in control group showed slightly decreased in comparison with sham, but that in GSH-treated showed no change in comparison with control. The level of serum T4 in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in GSH-treated was significantly decreased in comparison with control. Trabecular bone area as well as trabecular thickness in control group showed significant decrease In comparison with sham. Those in GSH-treated showed significant increase in comparison with control. Trabecular number did not significant change among the three groups. Trabecular separation only in GSH-treated showed significant decrease in comparison with control. Osteoclast number in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham. That in GSH-treated showed significant decrease in comparison with control. Oseoblast surface in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in GSH-treated showed no change in comparison with control. According to the above these results, GSH has shown to be capable of preventing and curing osteoporosis caused by old-aged and postmenopause.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.17 no.1 s.85
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• pp.11-18
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• 2005

In order to accurately assess the stresses occurring in the early-age concrete, a compliance function which can consider the characteristics of early-age concrete is required. Existing compliance functions, however, have the limit that they have been deduced from the data of hardened concrete and therefore, do not take into account the fast development of material properties in early-age concrete. Furthermore, the distinction between instantaneous compliance and creep compliance is not clear in the existing experimental method. The purpose of present study is to propose a compliance function which can describe the rapid change of hardening processes in early-age concrete. To this end, a test method which can estimate the instantaneous compliance without creep effects in the early-age concrete was suggested first. Based on the suggested experimental method, tests on the instantaneous as well as creep compliance were performed using MTS automatic servo-loop test machine. The test results showed that both instantaneous and aging viscoelastic compliance, which are constants in B3 model, were functions in terms of age of concrete especially at early ages. Therefore, the modified compliance function based on B3 model was proposed to provide more realistic prediction on the behavior of early-age concrete. It is expected that the present model allows more realistic evaluation of varying stresses in concrete structures at early ages.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.2
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• pp.278-286
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• 2014

Forestry management problems in South Korea have been caused by small and scattered forest lands, aging forest owners, and the increase of absentee forest owners. To solve these problems, it is a time to consider the introduction of forest land bank system for the expansion of forestry management scale, the effective management of neglected forest lands, and the stable livelihood support for aged forest owners. Therefore, this research implemented the questionnaire survey of necessity, expectation, willingness to use, and introduction plans for the forest land bank system in order to examine the feasibility and demand of the system focused on forest owners, non-forest owners, and people who return to the farm. The questionnaire survey was conducted for 262 of resident forest owners, 152 of absentee forest owners, 427 of non-forest owners, and 101 of people who return to the farm. 77.5% of forest owners and 63.8% of non-forest owners agreed with the necessity of the introduction for the forest land bank system. Both forest owners and non-forest owners would prefer to use forest land reverse mortgage and leasing among projects of the forest land bank. In addition, 75% of people who return to the farm also expected that forest land bank would be helpful to their rural and mountain life, and they would have higher preference to participate in leasing and buying forest lands than other projects. Based on the outputs of the feasibility and demand survey in this research, this study can play a key role in determining basic direction, major functions, types and range of projects as well as providing information for establishing policies of the forest land bank system.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.671-680
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Haeyeol-tang on infectious disease of respiratory system. Methods : Haeyeol-tang was used by cold storage after dilution with 1, 10 and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of PBS, from dried material as extracted material with extraction with 50% ethanol. Statistical significance was examined through measuring TNF-$\alpha$, RT-PCR, DPPH, nitric oxide(NO), and MTT of Raw264.7 cells activated with LPS. Results : For the toxicity experiment of Haeyeol-tang, almost no toxicity was shown on cells in the concentration ranges of 1, 10 and $100{\mu}g/ml$. For the effect of NO production, Haeyeol-tang showed significant (p<0.001) decrease of NO production, according to its concentration. For the effect on the eliminating activity of DPPH radical, Haeyeol-tang showed increasing tendency of eliminating activity of DPPH radical, according to its concentration. For the effect on revelation of NOS2 enzyme, Haeyeol-tang showed inhibiting tendency against the revelation of NOS2, according to its concentration. For the effect on the TNF-$\alpha$ production, Haeyeol-tang showed significant (p<0.001) decrease of TNF-$\alpha$ production. Conclusions : This result means that Haeyeol-tang is effective for anti-inflammation, as well as excellent effect for anti-oxidation and anti-aging.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.788-800
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• 2002

Aging is characterized by an age-dependent reduction in bone density. Pronounced bone loss by postmenopausal estrogen deficiency induces a bad effect on dynamic balance of bone metabolism. When the bone density is reduced to the level below the fracture threshold, the risk for fracture is greatly increased. The purpose of this study is to examine what are the effects of the Yuklinzu(YLZ: 毓麟珠) on the ovariectomized rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The results of the experiment are as follows: Body weight in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in YLZ-treated showed no change in comparison with control. The level of serum albumin in control group showed significant decrease in comparison with sham. That in YLZ-treated was slightly decreased in comparison with control. The level of serum ALP activity in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in YLZ-treated was significantly decreased in comparison with control. The level of serum phosphorous in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in YLZ-treated showed no change in comparison with control. The level of serum calcium in control group showed no change in comparison with sham, but that in YLZ-treated was significantly decreased in comparison with control. The level of serum GOT in control group showed no change in comparison with sham, but that in YLZ-treated was significantly decreased in comparison with control. The level of serum GPT did not significant change among the three groups. The level of serum estrogen in control group showed slightly increased in comparison with sham, but that in YLZ-treated showed no change in comparison with control. The level of serum T3 in control group showed no change in comparison with sham, and that in YLZ-treated showed no change in comparison with control. The level of serum T4 in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham, but that in YLZ-treated was significantly decreased in comparison with control. Mechanical strength of the femur neck in control group showed significant decrease in comparison with sham. That in YLZ-treated showed slightly increased in comparison with control. Trabecular bone area as well as trabecular thickness in control group showed significant decrease in comparison with sham. Those in YLZ-treated showed significant increase in comparison with control. Trabecular number and did not significant change among the three groups. Trabecular separation only in YLZ-treated showed significant decrease in comparison with control. Osteoclast number and oseoblast surface in control group showed significant increase in comparison with sham. Those in YLZ-treated showed slightly decreased in comparison with control. According to the above these results, YLZ has shown to be capable of preventing and curing osteoporosis caused by old-aged and postmenopause.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.sup1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2016

Background: While demand for cardiovascular surgery is expected to increase gradually along with the rapid increase in cardiovascular diseases with respect to the aging population, the supply of thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons has been continuously decreasing over the past 10 years. Consequently, this study aims to achieve guidance in establishing health care policy by analyzing the supply and demand for cardiovascular surgeries in the medical service area of Korea. Methods: After investigating the actual number of cardiovascular surgeries performed using the National Health Insurance claim data of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, as well as drawing from national statistics concerning the elderly population aged 65 and over, this study estimated the number of future cardiovascular surgeries by using a cell-based model. To be able to analyze the supply and demand of surgeons, the recent status of new surgeons specializing in thoracic and cardiovascular surgeries and the ratio of their subspecialties in cardiovascular surgeries were investigated. Then, while taking three different scenarios into account, the number of cardiovascular surgeons expected be working in 5-year periods was projected. Results: The number of cardiovascular surgeries, which was recorded at 10,581 cases in 2014, is predicted to increase consistently to reach a demand of 15,501 cases in 2040-an increase of 46.5%. There was a total of 245 cardiovascular surgeons at work in 2014. Looking at 5 year spans in the future, the number of surgeons expected to be supplied in 2040 is 184, to retire is 249, and expected to be working is 309-an increase of -24.9%, 1.6%, and 26.1%, respectively compared to those in 2014. This forecasts a demand-supply imbalance in every scenario. Conclusion: Cardiovascular surgeons are the most central resource in the medical service of highly specialized cardiovascular surgeries, and fostering the surgeons requires much time, effort, and resources; therefore, by analyzing the various factors affecting the supply of cardiovascular surgeons, an active intervention of policies can be prescribed for the areas that have failed to meet the appropriate market distributions.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.321-327
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• 2013

Impaired naming difficulty is common in normal elderly as well as in patients with neurological impairment. The 60-item Korean version-Boston Naming Test(K-BNT) is one of the most commonly used test for measuring confrontational naming ability. However, age-related cognitive decline may make the elderly difficult concentrating during the 60-item test, therefore, item reduction of the K-BNT would improve test validity and reliability. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a short form of the K-BNT based on Item Response Theory(IRT). Considering item-fit index, sex factor, and item difficulty through Rasch analysis, the 15-item K-BNT(i.e., K-BNT-15) was developed. Via administration of the K-BNT-15, we observed age-related decline in naming ability and significantly different performance between the normal elderly and patients with mild cognitive impairment. This study demonstrates the utility of IRT for developing a short-form language evaluation tool. The K-BNT-15 can be effective as a language screening tool to differentiate between normal aging and pathological diseases.