• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.98-107
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data which is necessary for educating nursing and medical students for establishing a desirable sense of ethics values Method: In this descriptive research, a total of 140 nursing students and 124 medical students were selected. The tools used for data analysis were descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Scheffe test by using SPSS/WIN 12.0 version. Result: When the differences in the consciousness of biomedical ethics of nursing and medical students were compared, statistically significant differences were found in the category of brain death (t=-3.26, p=.001). Statistically significant differences were found in the general characteristics of religion (F=3.05, p=.018), and participation in religious activity (F=3.34, p=.006). Statistically significant differences were found in the characteristics related to the subjects' ethical values such as satisfaction level of a nurse/doctor (F=7.39, p=.000) occupation, the experience of A Patient's Bill of Rights (F=2.97, p=.020), the intention to attend biomedical ethics (F=5.61, p=.000), and the possibility of increasing ethical problems according to the development in the field of medical science (F=7.92, p=.000). Conclusion: An effort should be made to overcome the differences in the perception of biomedical ethics between nursing students and medical students. Moreover, when investigating the course of an integrated education for the establishment of a desirable sense of biomedical ethics, an alternative plan that could promote ethical values must be considered so that the significant variables can promote bioethical perception.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.221-227
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• 2000

The distribution of barbiturates in the model membranes of total lipids (SPMVTL) and total phospholipids (SPMVPL) extracted from synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles was determined by employing a fluorescent probe technique. The two fluorescent probes 2-(9-anthroyl)stearic acid and 12-(9-anthroyl)stearic acid were utilized as probes for the surface and the hydrocarbon interior of the outer monolayer of the SPMVTL and SPMVPL, respectively. The Stern-Volmer equation of fluorescent quenching was modified to calculate the relative distribution. The analysis of preferential quenching of these probes by barbiturates indicates that pentobarbital, hexobarbital, amobarbital and phenobarbital are predominantly distributed on the surface area, while thiopental sodium has an accessibility to the hydrocarbon interior of the outer monolayer of the SPMVTL and SPMVPL. From these results, it is strongly suggested that the more effective penetration into the hydrocarbon interior of the outer monolayer of the membrane lipid bilayer could result in a higher general anesthetic activity.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2004

Over the last decade, EMDR(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) has emerged as a promising new treatment for trauma and other anxiety-based disorders. However, neurobiological mechanism of EMDR has not been well understood. Authors report SPECT findings of two patients of PTSD before and after EMDR. Brain 99mTc-ECD-SPECT was performed before and after EMDR treatment. To evaluate the significance of changes in the regional cerebral perfusion, t-test was conducted on the resulting images using SPM99. In addition, clinical scales(CAPS, CGI, STAI) were employed to asses the changes in the clinical symptoms of the patients. After EMDR treatment, each showed significant improvement in clinical symptoms. The cerebral perfusion increased in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and decreased in the temporal association cortex. The differences in the cerebral perfusion between patients after treatment and normal controls decreased. These changes appeared mainly in the limbic area the and the prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that EMDR may show the therapeutic effect through 1) improvement in the emotional control by increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, 2) inhibited hyperstimuli on amygdala by deactivation of the association cortex, 3) inhibition on past trauma related memory, and 4) keeping the functional balance between the limbic area and the prefrontal cortex. This case report needs further replication from studies with larger sample.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.220-225
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• 2016

Cancer cells have different characteristics due to the genetic differences where these unique features may strongly influence the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Here, we show that the spontaneous reactivation of extracellular signalregulated kinase (ERK), distinct from conventional ERK activation, represents a potent mechanism for cancer cell survival. We studied ERK1/2 activation in vitro in SW480 colorectal cancer cells. Although ERK signaling tends to be transiently activated, we observed the delayed reactivation of ERK1/2 in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated SW480 cells. This effect was observed even after EGF withdrawal. While phosphorylated ERK1/2 translocated into the nucleus following its primary activation, it remained in the cytoplasm during late-phase activation. The inhibition of primary ERK1/2 activation or protein trafficking, blocked reactivation and concurrently increased caspase 3 activity. Our results suggest that the biphasic activation of ERK1/2 plays a role in cancer cell survival; thus, regulation of ERK1/2 activation may improve the efficacy of cancer therapies that target ERK signaling.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.88-96
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• 2020

Stauntonia hexaphylla (SH) and Vaccinium bracteatum (VB) are herbal extracts widely used in food and traditional herbal medicine, and have the ability to perform a wide range of biological activities. We aimed to investigate the effects of the SH and VB combination (SHVB) on mice models of chronic restraint stress (CRS) and pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors to elucidate its possible mechanisms of action. CRS-exposed mice treated with SHVB showed significantly decreased immobility time, increased swimming and climbing times in the forced swim test (FST), and increased locomotor activity in the open field test (OFT). SHVB decreased serum CORT levels, but enhanced brain monoamine neurotransmitters. SHVB significantly decreased the sleep latency and increased total sleep duration in pentobarbital-induced sleeping behavior in mice. SHVB showed inhibitory effect on 5-HT_2A receptor-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation. These results suggest that SHVB has antidepressant and hypnotic effects by regulating the 5-HT_2A receptor.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2000

Soeumin Sibjeundaibo-tang (SJDBT) and Soyangin Sibimijihwang-tang (SMJHT) have been used traditionally to improve the systemic blood circulation and biological energy production in the patients with circulatory and neuronal diseases. The object of this study is to determine the protective effects of SJDBT and SMJHT extracts on the spontaneous and glutamate-induced neuronal damages in cultured cells derived from mice cerebral cortex. At 14 days after beginning the cultures, the activity of lactate dehydrogenase released into the culture media was significantly decreased by treatment of cerebroneuronal cells with SJDBT and SMJHT (0.1 mg/ml) for 7 days. By comparison with the normal cells, cerebroneuronal morphology was dramatically changed by treatment of glutamate (1 mM) for 12 hrs, and this was conspicuously recovered by pretreatment of cerebroneural cells with SJDBT and SMJHT (0.1-1.0 mg/ml) for 2 days. Moreover, glutamated-induced DNA fragmentation was also protected by pretreatment of cerebroneuronal cells with those extracts. These results suggest that naturally occurring and glutamate-induced degeneration of cultured cerebrocortical cells may be related, in part, to the process of apoptotic cell death. The pharmacological properties of SJDBT and SMJHT extracts to improve cerebroneuronal degeneration may be considered as one of useful medicines that can prevent cerebrocortical impairments resulted from age-dependent and excitotoxicity-induced neuronal degeneration in human brain.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1997

Protein Kinase C (PKC) is generally believed to play a central role in signal transduction, cellular growth control, gene expression, and tumor promotion. And it has been suggested that inhibitors of PKC might play important roles for the prevention and treatment of cancer. In order to investigate the possible inhibitors of PKC from natural products, PKC receptor binding assay was performed using bovine brain particulate as a source of PKC and the amount of $[^3H]Phorbol$ 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) bound to PKC was measured in the presence of test materials. Total methanol extracts from 100 kinds of natural products were partitioned into 3 fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous layer) and their binding ability to the regulatory domain of PKC was evaluated. The ethyl acetate fractions of Morus alba $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;156.6\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Rehmannia glutinosa $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;134.3\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Lysimachia foenum-graecum $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;167.8\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Polygonum cuspidata $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;157.3\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Cnidium officinale $(aerial\;parts,\;IC_{50}:\;145.2\;{\mu}g/ml)$, and the hexane $(IC_{50}:\;179.3\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and the EtOAc fraction of Symplocarpus nipponicus $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;155.9\;{\mu}g/ml)$ showed inhibitory activity of $[^3H]PDBu$ binding to PKC.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-150
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• 2008

Sexually mature male and female rats were orally intubated with the organophosphorus insecticide, Pestban at a daily dosage of 7.45 or 3.72 mg/kg bwt, equivalent to 1/20 and 1/40 $LD_{50}$, respectively. Male rats were exposed for 70 days, while the female rats were exposed for 14 days, premating, during mating and throughout the whole length of gestation and lactation periods till weaning. The results showed depressed acetylcholinesterase(AChE) activity in the brain of parents, fetuses and their placentae in a dose-dependent manner. The fertility was significantly reduced with increasing the dose in both treated groups, with more pronounced suppressive effects in the male treated group. The number of implantation sites and viable fetuses were significantly reduced in pregnant females of both treated groups. However, the number of resorptions, dead fetuses, and pre-and postimplantation losses were significantly increased. The incidence of resorptions was more pronounced in treated female compared to male group and was dose dependant. The behavioral responses as well as fetal survival and viability indices were altered in both treated groups during the lactation period. The incidence of these effects was more pronounced in the treated female group and occurred in a dose-related manner. The recorded morphological, visceral, and skeletal anomalies were significantly increased with increasing the dose in fetuses of both treated groups, with more pronounced effects on fetuses of treated females. In conclusion, the exposure of adult male and female rats to Pestban would cause adverse effects on fertility and reproduction.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2004

We analyzed a noise-sensitivity profile of a specific SQUID sensor system for the localization of brain activity. The location of a neuromagnetic current source is estimated from the recording of spatially distributed SQUID sensors. According to the specific arrangement of the sensors, each site in the source space has different sensitivity, that is, the difference in the lead field vectors. Conversely, channel noises on each sensor will give a different amount of the estimation error to each of the source sites. e.g., a distant source site from the sensor system has a small lead-field vector in magnitude and low sensitivity. However, when we solve the inverse problem from the recorded sensor data, we use the inverse of the lead-field vector that is rather large, which results in an overestimated noise power on the site. Especially, the spatial sensitivity profile of a gradiometer system measuring tangential fields is much more complex than a radial magnetometer system. This is one of the causes to make the solutions of inverse problems unstable on intervening of the sensor noise. In this study, in order to improve the localization accuracy, we calculated the noise-sensitivity profile of our 40-channel planar SQUID gradiometer system, and applied it as a normalization weight factor to the source localization using synthetic aperture magnetometry.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2000

Immunological mechanisms involving the release of inflammatory factors by HIV-1 infected microglia in the brain have been implicated in the pathogenesis of HIV dementia (HIVD). Since the regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity can be influenced by variety of inflammatory mediators, this study was undertaken to look for a correlation between the MMP-9 release and the production of TNF-${\alpha}$ in response to HIV-1 p24 in the human monocyte cell line THP-1 as a model for microglia. First, it was shown that HIV-l core p24 antigen induced THP-1 to secrete MMP-9 in a dose response manner while it elicited a little effect on MMP-2 release in human astroglial cell line T98G. Next, it was found that p24 induced THP-1 to secrete TNF-${\alpha}$ without prior differentiation into macrophages by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) treatment. Furthermore, anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ neutralizing antibodies significantly blocked p24-induced MMP-9 release in a dose dependent manner. Our data indicate that p24 antigen induces monocytic MMP-9 release by triggering up-regulation of TNF-${\alpha}$ secretion.