• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.397-403
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• 2006

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) is categorized by the percentage of the predicted $FEV_1$(Forced expiratory volume in 1 second) result which is highly correlated with disease severity(morbidity and mortality). In COPD patients, dyspnea seems to be different from disease severity. We investigated whether dyspnea is correlated with disease severity, as measured by $FEV_1$, quality of life(QoL), occupation, and supporting level of family members and neighbors. Method: Thirty-six clinically stable patients with chronically irreversible airflow limitation were enrolled. We used the Medical Research Council(MRC) dyspnea scale to assess the level of dyspnea and the Korean St. Goerge's respiratory questionnaire(SGRQ) as measure the QoL. Result: The mean percentage of the predicted $FEV_1$ was 32.0%. Dyspnea was not correlated with GOLD stage using $FEV_1$(p=0.114). With deteriorating level of dyspnea the scores of symptoms(p=0.041), activity(p=0.004), impact(p=0.001), and total SGRQ score(p<0.001) were significantly increased. Dyspnea was not correlated with the level of occupation(p=0.259). The supporting level of family members and neighbors was significantly negatively correlated with dyspnea scale(p=0.011). Conclusion: In the management of COPD patients, we have to remember that the level of subjective dyspnea is correlated with QoL(symptom, activity and impact on society) and social supporting level as well as GOLD stage($FEV_1$).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2020

Macrophages are initiators for regulating a host's defenses to eliminate pathogens and trigger tissue repair. Macrophages are classified into two types: classically (M1) activated macrophages and alternatively (M2) activated macrophages. M1-phenotype macrophages directly or indirectly kill infectious organisms and tumor cells via pro-inflammatory responses, whereas M2-phenotype macrophages remodel wounded tissue through anti-inflammatory responses. In this paper, we investigated how Phellinus linteus hot water extract passed from Diaion HP-20 resin (PLEP) regulates polarization of M1-like or M2-like macrophages in human THP-1 cells. PLEP did not have cytotoxicity at a high concentration of 300 ㎍/ml. We observed morphological alteration of the THP-1 cells, which are stimulated by PLEP, LPS/INF-γ (M1 stimulators) or IL-4/IL13 (M2 stimulators). PLEP exposure induced morphology contiguous with LPS/INF-γ. qPCR was also performed to determine whether PLEP influences M1 or M2 polarization-related genes. M1-phenotype macrophage-specific genes, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, CXCL10 and CCR7, were enhanced by PLEP in a dose-dependent manner similar to LPS/INF-γ. Conversely, M2-phenotype-specific genes, such as MRC-1, DC-SIGN, CCL17 and CCL22, were suppressed by PLEP. PLEP also significantly up-regulated secretory inflammation cytokines related to M1 polarization of macrophages, including TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6, which was similar to the gene expression. Further, MAPK and NF-κB signaling were increased by treatment with PLEP, resulting in enhancement of cytokine secretion. PLEP might therefore be used as a promising booster of pro-inflammatory responses through M1 polarization of human THP-1 cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1028-1036
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• 2021

Firefly luciferase (FLuc) can function as an efficient marker in the gene and viral therapies. Nonetheless, its clinical translation has been unaccomplished with the concerns on its exogenous nature and the similarity with human fatty acyl-CoA synthetase. In this study, we aimed to show safety of FLuc by conducting a set of preclinical experiments and a human use. Initially, FLuc permeability across the plasma membrane was investigated by delivering the FLuc-carrying viral vector, OTS-412, or the FLuc recombinant protein. After in vitro infection of OTS-412 into different cancer cell lines, FLuc activity was detected only in the cell lysates, but not in culture media. In addition, recombinant FLuc protein further showed the impermeability against the plasma membrane. Similar result was also observed in the in vivo experiment. After being injected into the VX2 tumor-bearing rabbit, the FLuc exclusively resided within the tumor tissue without being detected in the blood plasma or other organs. Human cancer cell lines originated from various organs were lysed and treated to the FLuc, and none of the human substrates was reactive against the FLuc. As a final step, FLuc recombinant protein was intravenously injected into a human. The luciferase was degraded with the half-life of 20 to 30 minutes in blood, and was untraceable from 1.5 hr after the injection. In addition, the blood plasma was nonresponsive against the fatty acids. Hematological analysis was also comparable between the pre- and post-injection. Altogether, our study collectively demonstrates the safety of the firefly luciferase.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.398-405
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• 2016

Statins, the inhibitors of 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, are widely used in treatments of hypercholesterolemia and newly known as anti-cancer effect of various cancer cells. Recently, several studies suggested that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role on cell death signaling. However, mechanism of ROS by rosuvastatin is currently unclear. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of apoptosis by rosuvastatin in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Cell viability and apoptosis-related protein expression were measured by MTT assay and western blotting, respectively. In addition, the levels of apoptosis and ROS were analyzed. The results showed that rosuvastatin dramatically reduced cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We confirmed that rosuvastatin induced apoptosis through reduction of procaspase-3 and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in PC-3 cells. In addition, rosuvastatin stimulated ROS production in a dose-dependent manner and pre-treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, significantly recovered rosuvastatin-induced ROS and apoptosis. Thus, we concluded that rosuvastain induces apoptosis through generation of ROS in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells and provides a promising approach to improve the efficacy of cancer therapy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1395-1399
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• 2008

We have recently reported the PRC1 promoter as a promoter candidate to control expression of transcriptionally targeted genes for breast cancer gene therapy. We tested whether the PRC1 promoter could be also applied for the lung cancer gene therapy. In the transient transfection assay with naked plasmids containing the luciferase fused to the PRC1 promoter, the promoter showed little activity in the normal lung cell line, MRC5. However, in the lung cancer A549 cells, PRC1 showed approximately 30-fold activation which was similar to the survivin promoter, the gene whose promoter has been already reportedas a candidate for the gene therapy of lung cancer. In viral systems, the PRC1 promoter showed approximately 75% and 66% of transcriptional activity compared to the CMV promoter in the adeno-associated virus (AAV) and the adenovirus (AV) systems, respectively. However, the PRC1 promoter in either AAV or AV showed approximately 20% activity compared to the CMV promoter in the normal lung cells. In addition, human lung tumor xenograft mice showed that the PRC1 promoter activity was as strong as the CMV activity in vivo. Taken together, these results suggested that PRC1 might be a potential promoter candidate for transcriptionally targeted lung cancer gene therapy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-73
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• 1982

Questionaires on symptoms of respiratory disease have been used in Korea to elicit the probable health effects of air pollution in epidemiologic studies: The objectives of such studies often include comparing prevalence of symptoms of respiratory system between different population groups or between the same population groups, at different times. Unfortunately, little attention has, been paid to standardization of those questionaires, whether those are Korean. versions or not. Furthermore, no attempt to develop Korean ,questionaire on respiratory symptoms and relevant information has been made. Followed by 'a comparative study on responses to Korean version questionaires(English origin) of CMI, MRC, and ATS-DLD-78' two types of questionaires on respiratory symptoms and relevant information for Korean adult, which are short form (SUN-81-AS) and long forms (optional questions are added to the short one, SUN-81-AL), have been designed suitable to Korean background by authors (see Annex). The self-administered and closed-question questionaire were tested their validity and reliability by administration to l80 normal adults (medical and nursing students) and 60 clinical patients of Seoul National University Hospital, with spirometric exam. The results obtained and conclusions drawn are as follow: 1. It took less than 10 minutes to complete the questionaire SNU-81-AS and SNU-81-AL. 2. The test-retest reliability of each questions in AS and AL ,were observed as 92.7% and 92.1%, respectively. And all of the level of agreement are statistically significant with kappa statistic. 3. In addition to higher prevalence rate of symptoms in patients group compared, with, normal. group, the correlations between FEV 1.0/FVC predictive value(%) and number of symptoms were statistically significant inpatients group (See Fig. 1 and, Table 7). 4. The answer rate to optional questions in AL form among those who are not to do was about 10%, while the no-answer rate among who are to do was about 15% in Normal (medical and nursing students) group. 5. From the viewpoints of validity and reliability, the new Korean questionaire (SNU-81-AS and AL) developed by authors are to be recommendable to use in epidemiologic studies on respiratory illness in Korea. The self-administration, however, of optional questions in AL form may not assure the quality of data gathered.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.29 no.12A
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• pp.1319-1332
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• 2004

Multicarrier direct sequence code-division multiple access CDMA(MC DS-CDMA) is an attractive technique for achieving high data rate transmission even if the potentially large peak-to-average power ratio(PAPR) is an important factor for its application. On the other hand, code select CDMA(CS-CDMA) is an attractive technique with constant amplitude transmission of multicode signal irregardless of subchannels by introducing code selection method. In this paper we propose a new multiple access scheme based on the combination of MC DS-CDMA and CS-CDMA. Proposed scheme, which we called MC CS-CDMA, includes the sutclasses of MC DS-CDMA and CS-CDMA as special cases. The performance of this system is investigated for multipath Sequency selective fading channel and maximal ratio combining with rake receiver. In addition the PAPR of proposed system is compare with that of both MC BS-CDMA and CS-CDMA. Simulation results show that proposed system improves PAPR reduction than MC DS-CDMA at the expense of the complexity of receiver and the number of available non. Also, the numerical result shows that the proposed system is better performance than MC DS-CDMA due to the increasing processing gain and the number of time diversity gain.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.747-756
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• 2014

In this paper, we propose a path loss model with the multiple antennas using diversity effect. Currently wireless communication systems use the multiple antennas in order to improve the channel capacity or diversity gain. However, until recently, many researches on path loss model only consider geographical environment between the transmitter and the receiver. There is no study about path loss model considering diversity effect. Nowaday wireless communication use the multiple antennas and we in common find examples using diversity scheme that is method in order to enhance a channel capacity. Moreover we anticipate that it work harder in future researches. But in this communication system, path loss model isn't established that predict strength of received signal. So, in order to predict strength of received signal, we take changing SNR by diversity gain. When exceeding the number of antennas of receiver are 7 in proposed model, diversity effect is saturated. Therefore we consider the number of antenna of receiver until 10. We find RMSE between proposed model and value of calculation is 1. We calculate the diversity gain by conventional BER curve. Proposed model can predict loss of received signal in system using multiple antennas.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.171-181
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• 2018

Objective : Napyak has known as the herbal medicine, that kings of the Joseon dynasty bestowed on the royal officers around the last day of the each year. There are several researches on Napyak but those are focused the meaning itself, bibliographical studies on Unhaenapyakjeungchibang(which is the text related to Napyak), system in Joseon dynasty related to Napyak and so on. This articles is subject to research the real usage and medical meaning thrugh record of Joseon dynasty Method : Prescriptions of Unhaenapyakjeungchibang were browsed from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and the Royal Records of Royal Secretariat of the Joseon Dynasty and compared the main disease of prescriptions with the records above. Result : The main disease of prescriptions were corresponded with real usage records of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and the Royal Records of Royal Secretariat of the Joseon Dynasty except a few cases. And the new meaning of Napyak could be defined as the herbal medicine, that kings of the Joseon dynasty bestowed on the royal officers and all people to cure emergent disease around the last day of the each year. Conclusion : This research is for focusing the real usage of the Napyak thrugh Unhaenapyakjeungchibang prescription but this research is for the medical records of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and the Royal Records of Royal Secretariat of the Joseon Dynasty. Hereafter, the medical records researches could be conducted by real usage of prescriptions.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.27 no.3 s.90
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• pp.237-241
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• 1999

To search for less toxic antiviral agents from Basidiomycetes, the water soluble components (=EA), were isolated from the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata (Pers.) Karst. Anti-varicella zoster virus (Oka strain; anti-VZV/Oka) activity of EA was examined in MRC-5 cells by plaque reduction assay in vitro. And the combined antiviral effects of EA with interferon (IFN) alpha or IFN gamma were examined on the multiplication of VZV/Oka. EA exhibited a dose-dependent reduction in the plaque formation of VZV/Oka with 50% effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of $464.14\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results of the combination assay were evaluated by the combination index (CI) that was calculated by the multiple drug effect analysis. The combination of EA with IFN alpha showed partially synergistic or additive effects with CI values of $0.83{\sim}1.09$ for 50%, 70%, 90% effective levels, and those with IFN gamma showed antagonism with CI values of $1.20{\sim}1.24$.