• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2009

This study was carried out to assess the antilisterial potential of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of a marine isolate of Aspergillus sp. The in vitro antilisterial efficacy of ethyl acetate extract was examined using disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, cell viable count and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) methods against the employed strains of Listeria monocytogenus. The ethyl acetate extract ($300{\mu}g\;disc^{-1}$) exhibited a promising antilisterial effect as diameters of inhibition zones against L. monocytogenes ATCC 19111, 19116, 19118, 19166 and 15313, which were found in the range of 11-17 mm along with their MIC values ranging from 125 to $1000{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}$ respectively. Also the EtOAc extract had strong detrimental effect on the viable count of the tested L. monocytogens ATCC 19166. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study demonstrated potential detrimental effect of ethyl acetate extract on the morphology of L. monocytogenes ATCC 19116 at the used MIC concentration. These findings strongly support the role of ethyl acetate extract of a marine isolate of Aspergillus sp. as an antiliterial potential.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.162-169
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• 2021

Global warming has affected the distribution of organisms for decades and has displayed rapid ascent recently. Research into the effects on tropical organisms are vital. Padina boryana is a resourceful marine microalgae in the Maldives Sea in the Laccadive region. A 70% ethanol extraction (PBE) of this seaweed was used to investigate its antioxidant potential. Both in vitro and in vivo models were implemented. PBE exhibited protective potential against H₂O₂ induced apoptosis. ROS levels were suppressed due to PBE. PBE expressed a cytoprotective nature. In vivo experiments involving the zebra fish model conformed its validity. The antioxidant efficacy of PBE was dose dependent. Study outcomes suggest PBE has potential as a novel and valuable marine resource to aid the functional food and cosmeceutical industries.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 2021

The probiotic market is constantly continuing to grow, concomitantly with a widening in the range and diversity of probiotic products. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that provide a benefit to the host when consumed at a proper dose; the viability of a probiotic is therefore of crucial importance for its efficacy. Many products undergo lyophilization for maintaining their shelf-life. Unfortunately, this procedure may damage the integrity of the cells due to stress conditions during both the freezing and (vacuum-) drying process, thereby impacting their functionality. We propose a lysine-based mixture for rehydration of freeze-dried probiotics for improving their viability during in vitro simulated gastric and duodenum stress conditions. Measurement of the zeta potential served as an indicator of cell integrity and efficacy of this mixture, while functionality was estimated by adhesion to a human enterocyte-like Caco-2 cell-line. The freeze-dried bacteria exhibited a significantly different zeta potential compared to fresh cultures; however, this condition could be restored by rehydration with the lysine mixture. Recovery of the surface charge was found to influence adhesion ability to the Caco-2 cell-line. The optimum lysine concentration of the formulation, designated "Zeta-bio", was found to be 0.03 M for improving the viability of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp-115 by up to 13.86% and a 7-strain mixture (400B) to 41.99% compared to the control rehydrated with distilled water. In addition, the lysine Zeta-bio formulation notably increased the adherence ability of lyophilized Lp-115 to the Caco-2 cell-line after subjected to the in vitro stress conditions of the simulated gastrointestinal tract passage.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2016

Background: Chronic back pain shows a high correlation with lumbar disability, physical disability for daily activities, and psychosocial factors, such as depression. Object: The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation of the level of pain and disability with psychosocial factors, which are potential disturbance variables, in patients with chronic lumbar pain. Method: The sample included 258 patients, who had complained of chronic lumbar pain for more than three months. The Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale was used to measure the level of pain, and a Korean version of Oswestry Disability Index was used to measure the level of disability. Psychosocial factors were measured using the Tampa scale for Kinesiophobia-11, Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, and Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using PASW 18.0, and an independent samples t-test was used to examine frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation of sociodemographic characteristics and major variables. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to investigate the correlation between the level of pain and disability and psychosocial factors. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was done to determine the level of pain and psychosocial factors of functional disorder. The significance level was set at ${\alpha}=.05$. Result: There is a strong correlation between the level of pain and functional disorder and psychosocial factors in patients with chronic lumbar pain. The study also revealed that as the levels of pain and fear avoidance increase, pain self-efficacy decreases. Conclusion: The results suggest that negative perceptions towards pain, limitations of physical movement, and severe fear avoidance directly affect the decrease in pain self-efficacy. Therefore, it is recommended to test pain self-efficacy when measuring the level of pain and disability in patients with chronic low back pain.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.328-333
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• 2014

Vitiligo is a pigmentary disorder induced by a loss of melanocytes. In addition to replacement of pure melanocytes, cocultures of melanocytes with keratinocytes have been used to improve the repigmentation outcome in vitiligo treatment. We previously identified by in vitro studies, that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) could be a potential substitute for keratinocytes in cocultures with melanocytes. In this study, the efficacy of pigmentation including durability of grafted melanocytes and short-term safety was examined in the nude mouse and Sprague-Dawley rat after grafting of primary cultured human melanocytes, with or without different ratios of primary cultured human ADSCs. Simultaneous grafting of melanocytes and ADSCs, which were separately cultured and mixed on grafting at the ratios of 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3, showed better efficacy than that of pure melanocytes. Grafting of melanocytes cocultured with ADSCs resulted in a similar outcome as the grafting of cell mixtures. Skin pigmentation by melanocytes : ADSCs at the ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 was better than at 1:3. No significant difference was observed between the 1-week and 2-week durations in coculturing. Time-course microscopic examination showed that the grafted melanocytes remained a little longer than 6-week post-grafting. No inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in the grafted skin and no melanocytes were detectable in other organs. Collectively, grafting of melanocytes and ADSCs was equally safe and more effective than grafting of melanocytes alone. Despite the absence of significant differences in efficacy between the group of 1:1 and that of 1:2 ratio, 1:2 ratio for 1-week coculturing may be better for clinical use from the cost-benefit viewpoint.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.311-347
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• 2012

Infections are caused due to the infiltration of tissue or organ space by infectious bacterial agents, among which Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are clinically most relevant. While current treatment modalities are in general quite effective, several bacterial strains exhibit high resistance to them, leading to complications and additional surgeries, thereby increasing the patient morbidity rates. Titanium dioxide is a celebrated photoactive material and has been utilized extensively in antibacterial functions, making it a leading infection mitigating agent. In view of the property amelioration in materials via nanofication, free-standing titania nanofibers (pure and nominally doped) and nanocoatings (on Ti and Ti6Al4V implants) were fabricated and evaluated to assess their efficacy to mitigate the viability and growth of S. aureus upon brief (30 s) activation by a portable hand-held infrared laser. In order to gauge the effect of exposure and its correlation with the antibacterial activities, both isolated (only titania substrate) and simultaneous (substrate submerged in the bacterial suspension) activations were performed. The bactericidal efficacy of the IR-activated $TiO_2$ nanocoatings was also tested against E. coli biofilms. Toxicity study was conducted to assess any potential harm to the tissue cells in the presence of photoactivated materials. These investigations showed that the photoactivated titania nanofibers caused greater than 97% bacterial necrosis of S. aureus. In the case of titania-coated Ti-implant surrogates, the bactericidal efficacy exceeded 90% in the case of pre-activation and was 100% in the case of simultaneous-activation. In addition to their high bactericidal efficacy against S. aureus, the benignity of titania nanofibers and nanocoatings towards tissue cells during in-vivo exposure was also demonstrated, making them safe for use in implant devices.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.20-27
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to compare the key research-related constructs, research insterest, research self-efficacy, research productivity, and research outcome expectation of the graduate students, who are participating in Global Ph.D Fellowship (GPF) and Brain Korea (BK) 21 projects. The overall results show that the mean scores of GPF students in research interest, research self-efficacy, research productivity, and research outcome expectation are higher than those of BK21. However, the higher mean scores of doctoral students in both GPF and BK21 projects imply that the longer you stay in graduate program, the better researcher you can be. Although GPF program selected higher potential students and they seem to work very hard with high expectation to be competent researchers, compatible outcome also could be possible by BK21 project.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2020

The objective of this study is to investigate the skin whitening and antioxidant effects of the Anemarrhenae Rhizoma extract (ARE). Following the previously studied method, we examined the inhibitory effects of melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity by using B16F10 cells. First, we measured the Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, nitrite scavenging activity, and superoxide dismutase-like activity to verifying antioxidant efficacy according to skin whitening. In addition, we confirmed the skin whitening efficacy of ARE by measuring gene expression associated with a skin whitening by the Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method in B16F10 cells. In this study, we confirmed that ARE has skin whitening and antioxidant effects at high concentrations. In particular, ARE at a concentration of 500 ㎍/ml inhibited the expression of Tyrosinase, TRP-2 (tyrosinase-related protein), and MITF (microphthalmia transcription factor) genes better than Arbutin. In conclusion, our results confirmed that ARE has the potential for development as a skin whitening efficacy substance.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.573-581
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to predict the stage of exercise behavior change in undergraduate students and to identify the factors affecting exercise behavior change by using the trans theoretical Model. Method: The subjects were 193 undergraduate students at K and D university in D city. Data were collected by questionnaire surveys using convenience sampling and analyzed by SPSS 12.0 program. Results: 77.7% of 193 nursing students do not exercise or they exercise irregularly. Exercise self-efficacy score and exercise benefits score were decreased with advancing exercise stage, on the other hand exercise barriers score and the process of exercise behavior change score were increased. In addition to this, the results revealed that stage of exercise behavior was significantly correlated with the process of exercise behavior change, exercise benefits, exercise barriers and exercise self-efficacy. Conclusion: These results suggested that the process of exercise behavior change, exercise decisional balance and exercise self-efficacy can be potential affecting factors for the stages of behavior change in university students. Therefore, these findings give useful information for educating nurse to construct nursing service programs focused on the stage of behavior change.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.5185-5188
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• 2016

Objective: Targeted-drug-delivery based lipid nanoparticles has emerged as a new and effective approach in cancer chemotherapy. Here, we investigated the ability of folate-modified nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) to enhance letrozol (LTZ) efficacy in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Methods: New formulations were evaluated regarding to particle size and scanning electron microscope (SEM) features. Anti-proliferative effects of LTZ loaded nanoparticles were examined by MTT assay. To understand molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and cell cycle progression, flow cytometric assays were applied. Results: Optimum size of nanoparticles was obtained in mean average of $98{\pm}7nm$ with a poly dispersity index (PDI) of 0.165. The IC50 value was achieved for LTZ was $2.2{\pm}0.2{\mu}M$. Folate-NLC-LTZ increased the percentage of apoptotic cells from 24.6% to 42.2% compared LTZ alone (p<0.05). Furthermore, LTZ loaded folate targeted NLCs caused marked accumulation of cells in the subG1 phase. Conclusion: Taken together, our results concluded that folate targeted LTZ can be considered as potential delivery system which may overcome limitations of clinical application of LTZ and improve drug efficacy in tumor tissue.