• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.47
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• pp.303.1-303.10
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• 2018

Background: Cell division cycle 6 (CDC6) is an essential regulator of DNA replication and plays important roles in the activation and maintenance of the checkpoint mechanisms in the cell cycle. CDC6 has been associated with oncogenic activities in human cancers; however, the clinical significance of CDC6 in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether the CDC6 mRNA expression level is a diagnostic and prognostic marker in PCa. Methods: The study subjects included 121 PCa patients and 66 age-matched benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. CDC6 expression was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical (IH) staining, and then compared according to the clinicopathological characteristics of PCa. Results: CDC6 mRNA expression was significantly higher in PCa tissues than in BPH control tissues (P = 0.005). In addition, CDC6 expression was significantly higher in patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (> 20 ng/mL), a high Gleason score, and advanced stage than in those with low PSA levels, a low Gleason score, and earlier stage, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high expression of CDC6 was significantly associated with advanced stage (${\geq}T3b$) (odds ratio [OR], 3.005; confidence interval [CI], 1.212-7.450; P = 0.018) and metastasis (OR, 4.192; CI, 1.079-16.286; P = 0.038). Intense IH staining for CDC6 was significantly associated with a high Gleason score and advanced tumor stage including lymph node metastasis stage (linear-by-linear association, P = 0.044 and P = 0.003, respectively). Conclusion: CDC6 expression is associated with aggressive clinicopathological characteristics in PCa. CDC6 may be a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker in PCa patients.

• The Korean Journal of Blood Transfusion
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 2012

Background: Potassium, the most common cation in the intracellular space, plays a critical role in our physiology. Potassium imbalance may cause life-threatening problems, ranging from general weakness to cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. For emergency physicians, detection of such derangement within a short period of time is of critical importance. In this study, we wanted to determine whether analysis of whole blood samples can be used as a screening tool for potassium imbalance by comparative analysis of whole blood and serum samples. Methods: Two samples were drawn from 227 patients. The whole blood sample was taken from the radial artery and contained in a commercially available arterial blood collection syringe with a lithium-heparin coating. The serum sample was contained in a commercially available vacuum bottle in a non-additive silicone coated tube and transported to the laboratory. The study population was divided into three groups, patients with normal whole blood potassium, patients with decreased whole blood potassium, and patients with elevated whole blood potassium. Potassium levels for each group were coupled with serum potassium levels and compared. Results: No significant difference in potassium values was observed between whole blood and serum samples (P<0.05). Strong associations were observed among the three groups (normal range, hypokalemia, and hyperkalemia group). Compared to the normal group (r=0.851), the hyperkalemia group showed a stronger association between variables (r=0.897), and the hypokalemia group showed a weaker association (r=0.760). Their correlation coefficients were highly significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our study illustrates that point-of-care testing using whole blood with whole blood can be a reliable screening tool when treating patients with suspicious potassium abnormality, especially in hyperkalemia patients.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.123
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• pp.87-110
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• 2012

The kitsch was emerged from the people's cultural desire in the conditions of the various duplicating technology, the capital economy system, and the civil revolution in the western modern mass society. But it is underestimated constantly because of the conspicious consumption and the aesthetic inadequacy. Even though some kitsches are elevated to the 'kitsch arts' in the historical description of the modern arts, still the most of kitsches are remained as 'just kitsches' and excluded from the aesthetic research according to the double standard. In this essay, I research for whether anti-kitsch theory is convincing theoretically and practically. Anti-kitsch theory criticizes the kitsch on the basis of the modernist aesthetics, in which the 'fine art' provokes the aesthetic pleasure in the disinterested contemplation. But kitsch purposes for the sensual gratification and the sentimentality. So the anti-kitish theorists conclude that the kitsch is the bad taste. In critically analyzing the argumentation of Greenberg's. Kaplan's and $C{\tilde{a}}linescu^{\prime}s$, I refute the privileged prejudice of the ideal critic. They don't justify the criteria of the classification of 'art'/ 'kitsch'. They supplement the economical and the political grounds for the evaluative theory of the kitsch. But the argumentation of the kitsch is consumed conspicuously and results in the unlettered masses is not sufficient. People produce and enjoy the kitsches in the various ways. People envelope the genres, styles and media of the kitsches and they try to suggest the new horizon of the popular aesthetics. So anti-kitsch theories cannot be accepted because they adhere to the elitism and formalism. The exclusion of the kitsch is the derogation for people's taste. Also they didn't reflect the contemporary cultural practice and the aesthetic needs in the system of post-art. The alternative aesthetics of the kitsch is the topic of my next essay.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.439-447
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• 2019

The distance between the natural teeth and the implants is an important factor in preserving the periodontal tissues and esthetics. And abnormal positional displacement and tilting of the teeth during restorative procedure may require intentional root canal treatment and may affect masticatory function. This report is to present a successful full mouth rehabilitation of a patient with uneven dentition and collapsed occlusion using orthodontic and implant treatment. The patient had no symptoms or discomfort of temporomandibular joint disorder such as pain or sound. The orthodontic treatment was continued until implant provisional prosthesis delivery. And the vertical height of occlusion was elevated 2mm on anterior basis for anterior teeth protection and esthetics. After the orthodontic treatment, the implant abutments and natural teeth were finally restored with porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and bridges. Satisfactory function and esthetic outcomes are observed after 6months of follow up.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.55-65
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• 2002

Ginseng has been used as a key constituent in traditional medicine prescriptions for centuries. Other than its well-known anti-stress and adaptogenic properties, ginseng has also been shown to be very effective in treating age-related deterioration in metabolic and memory functions. Although it is generally believed that the saponin (GS) fraction of the ginseng root accounts for the bioactivity of ginseng, a direct demonstration on which ginsenoside does what is still generally lacking. In the past decade, our laboratory has endeavored to identify the active GS components involved in energy metabolism, memory, and anti-neurotoxicity. To examine the ergogenic effects of GS in enhancing aerobic capacity, rats were subjected to either severe cold ($40^{\circ}C$ under helium-oxygen, two hours) or exercise workload $(70\%\;VO_{2}max,$ to exhaustion). Acute systemic injection (i.p.) of ginseng GS (5-20 mg/kg) significantly elevated both the total and maximum heat production in rats and improved their cold tolerance. However, pretreating the animal with the optimal dose (10 mg/kg) of GS devoid of $Rg_1\;and\;Rb_1$ failed to elicit any beneficial effects in improving cold tolerance. This indicates that either $Rb_1\;and/or\;Rg_1$ may be essential in exemplifying the thermogenic effect of GS. Further studies showed that only pretreating the animals with $Rb_1(2.5-5\;mg/kg),\;but\;not\;Rg_l,$ resulted in an increase in thermogenesis and cold tolerance. In contrast to the acute effect of GS on cold tolerance, enhancement of exercise performance in rats was only observed after chronic treatment (4 days). Further, we were able to demonstrate that both $Rb_1\;and\;Rg_1$ are effective in enhancing aerobic endurance by exercise. To illustrate the beneficial effects of GS in learning and memory, a passive avoidance paradigm (shock prod) was used. Our results indicated that the scopolamineinduced amnesia can be significantly reversed by chronically treating (4 days) the rats with either $Rb_1\;or\;Rg_1$ (1.25 - 2.5 mg/kg). To further examine its underlying mechanisms, the effects of various GS on ${\beta}-amyloid-modulated$ acetylcholine (ACh) release from the hippocampal slices were examined. It was found that inclusion of $Rb_1$ (0.1 ${\mu}M$), but not $Rg_1$, can attenuate ${\beta}-amyloid-suppressed$ ACh release from the hippocampal slices. Our results demonstrated that $Rb_1\;and\;Rg_1$ are the key components involved in various beneficial effects of GS but they may elicit their effects through different mechanisms.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.151-163
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• 2008

1. Objective This study was done to identify the anti-stress effect of Hyeongbangdojeok-san (HDS), Yanggyeoksanhwa-tang(YST) in Soyangin. 2. Methods Experimental animals were composed of YST, HDS+stress groups which were administered each by 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and the Saline+stress group. On the 1st day, making the rats forced swim and on the 2nd day, applying Forced swimming test to the rats. After FST, the levels of Corticosterone in the blood were measured. For the study of learning retardation, memory ability and anxiety reaction, experimental animals were composed of YST, HDS+restraint stress groups which were administered each by 400mg/kg, no stress group and the Saline+restraint stress group. Restraint stress were applied 2 hours a day for 3 weeks. On the last day of the 3rd week, Elevated Plus Maze(EPM) was applied to the groups and Morris Water Maze(MWM) was applied to the groups for 7 days. 3. Results 1. As the results of measuring FST which reflects depression, the YST+stress group and the HDS+stress group showed significant effect in comparison with the Saline+stress group. The levels of Corticosterone in the blood were decreased only in the 400mg/kg YST+stress group. 2. As the results of measuring how long EPM which reflects anxiety reaction stayed in the open arm, there was the trend which can suppress anxiety reaction in the HDS+restraint stress group bur no statistical significance. But there was any suppression of anxiety reaction in the YST+restraint stress group. 3. According to the result of MWM, the saline+restraint stress group showed the learning retardation which means increased time arriving at goal compared to the normal group at the second and third day of measurement. On the contrary, a learning retardation was significantly decreased in the YST+restraint stress group at the third day of measurement. 4. Among the Probe trial test a memory loss occurred in the saline+restraint stress group, but memory ability was significantly increased in the YST+restraint stress group. 4. Conclusion: As the results above, Soyangin Yanggyeoksanhwa-tang has significant influence to the antidepression effect, the learning retardation, the anxiety reaction and also in the Hormone level. Hyeongbangdojeok-san has significant influence to the antidepression effect, in the Hormone level, bur not to the learning retardation and anxiety reaction. prefer to drink cold water, and who are suffering from chronic gastritis.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2020

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) induces inflammatory cytokines in HaCaT and stimulates XRE promoter activity through AhR binding. Thus, it increases CYP gene family expression. In this study, we have elucidated inhibitory effect of LG Herbal Medicine Complex (LG-HMC) on DPM-induced XRE promoter activity and inflammatory cytokine expression. First of all, the XRE promoter activity was overexpressed by DPM treatment and the LG-HMC abrogated the XRE promoter activity. Morus alba bark extract, Scutellaria baicalensis root extract and constituents of LG-HMC, were found to be main effecters against DPM induced XRE promoter activation. We also found that DPM treatment elevated inflammatory cytokines in HaCaT and the treatment of LG-HMC, Morus alba bark extract and Scutellaria baicalensis root extract down-regulated the DPM induced inflammatory cytokine expression. Additionally, Morus alba bark extract and Scutellaria baicalensis root extract were found to act as free radical scavengers. In conclusion, we confirmed skin protective effect of LG-HMC and uncovered two components, Morus alba bark extract and Scutellaria baicalensis root extract, that play major role in protecting epidermal kertinocytes from damage.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.92-96
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• 2014

Dabigatran is the first oral direct thrombin inhibitor approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Because dabigatran is excreted mainly by the kidneys, serum levels of dabigatran can be elevated to a supratherapeutic range in patients with renal failure, predisposing to emergent bleeding. We describe the case of a 66-year-old man taking dabigatran 150 mg twice daily for atrial fibrillation and cerebral infarction who presented with hematochezia and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Laboratory evaluation showed a hemoglobin level of 6.3 g/dL, platelets of $138,000/mm^3$, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) of 10 s, and an international normalized ratio (INR) of 8.17. Colonoscopy showed a bleeding anal fissure. Hemostasis was provided by hemoclips and packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma were transfused. Since then, there was no further hematochezia, however, bleeding including oral mucosal bleeding, hematuria, and intravenous site bleeding persisted. At presentation, his serum creatinine was 4.96 mg/dL (baseline creatinine, 0.9 mg/dL). Dabigatran toxicity secondary to acute kidney injury was presumed. Because acute kidney injury of unknown cause was progressing after admission, he was treated with hemodialysis. Fresh frozen plasma transfusion was provided with hemodialysis. At 15 days from admission, there was no further bleeding, and laboratory values, including hemoglobin, partial thromboplastin time, and prothrombin time were normalized. He was discharged without bleeding. After 2 months, he undergoes dialysis three times per week and no recurrence of bleeding has been observed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.47-57
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• 2019

Purpose: Osmolar gap (OG) has been used for decades to screen for toxic alcohol levels. However, its reliability may vary due to several reasons. We validated the estimated ethanol concentration formula for patients with suspected poisoning and who visited the emergency department. We examined discrepancies in the ethanol level and patient characteristics by applying this formula when it was used to screen for intoxication due to toxic levels of alcohol. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 153 emergency department cases to determine the measured levels of toxic ethanol ingestion and we calculated alcohol ingestion using a formula based on serum osmolality. Those patients who were subjected to simultaneous measurements of osmolality, sodium, urea, glucose, and ethanol were included in this study. Patients with exposure to other toxic alcohols (methanol, ethylene glycol, or isopropanol) or poisons that affect osmolality were excluded. OG (the measured-calculated serum osmolality) was used to determine the calculated ethanol concentration. Results: Among the 153 included cases, 114 had normal OGs (OG≤14 mOsm/kg), and 39 cases had elevated OGs (OG>14). The mean difference between the measured and estimated (calculated ethanol using OG) ethanol concentration was -9.8 mg/dL. The 95% limits of agreement were -121.1 and 101.5 mg/dL, and the correlation coefficient R was 0.7037. For the four subgroups stratified by comorbidities and poisoning, the correlation coefficients R were 0.692, 0.588, 0.835, and 0.412, respectively, and the mean differences in measurement between the measured and calculated ethanol levels were -2.4 mg/dL, -48.8 mg/dL, 9.4 mg/dL, and -4.7 mg/dL, respectively. The equation plots had wide limits of agreement. Conclusion: We found that there were some discrepancies between OGs and the calculated ethanol concentrations. Addition of a correction factor for unmeasured osmoles to the equation of the calculated serum osmolality would help mitigate these discrepancies.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.168-177
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• 2015

Here we study the anti-obesity effects of by-product from soybean on mouse fed high fat diet. The body weight gain, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue weight, liver and epididymal adipose tissue weight in freeze-dried soybean-soaking-water (SSW) powder fed group showed lower level than those in high fat diet (HFD) group by determining with weight measuring and histological methods. Also, histological analyses of the liver and fat tissues of SSW grouped mice revealed significantly less number of lipid droplets formation and smaller size of adipocytes compared to the HFD group. Moreover, the levels of total serum cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and the atherogenic index were decreased in the SSW groups. Especially, in SSW group, the levels of phosphorylation of two lipid oxidation enzymes, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylasse (ACC) were elevated hence that may activate fatty acid oxidation. But AST and ALT levels were not changed in blood. By micro-CT analysis of abdomen, SSW groups significantly showed a tendency to decrease visceral and subcutaneous fats as well as fat-deposited areas compared to HFD group. Taken together, we suggest that soybean soaking water has a function in ameliorating obesity through inhibiting lipid synthesis as well as stimulating fatty acid oxidation.