• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2022

The use of plastics in our everyday lives have been drastically increased during the last few decades. However with the usage of commercial plastic products there is a possibility of microplastic consumption, due to the fragmentation of the products. Additionally, the potential for microplastic ingestion may also be increased by using damaged products. Hence, the current study was conducted to understand the potential release of micro/nano plastics and organic matter from damaged teabags. To check the leakage tendency, the amount of damage to the tea bags from 1-10 cm were tested along with temperatures of 25-70℃, and exposure times from 5 min to 1 hr was tested. Release of fibrous micro/nanoplastics, and organic leachate from the damaged teabags were observed to understand the outflow conditions. Results showed that with the increased degree of damage, temperature, and exposure time increased the release of fiberous matter, where the increase of temperature, and exposure time increased organic leachate. Additional analysis confirmed the leachate of nylon polymers into the heated water.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.2
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• pp.56-63
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• 2015

A small number of viable tuberculosis bacilli can reside in an individual with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) without obvious clinical symptoms or abnormal chest radiographs. Diagnosis and treatment for LTBI are important for tuberculosis (TB) control in public and private health, especially in high-risk populations. The updated 2014 Korean guidelines for TB recommend that tuberculin skin tests, interferon-gamma release assays, or a combination of the two can be used for LTBI diagnosis according to age and immune status of the host as well as TB contact history. The regimens for LTBI treatment include isoniazid, rifampicin, or isoniazid/rifampicin. However, results of drug susceptibility test from the index case must be considered in selecting the appropriate drug for recent contacts. Standardized LTBI diagnosis and treatment based on the new 2014 guidelines will contribute to the effective TB control in Korea as well as to the establishment of updated guidelines.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.148-154
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• 2012

Previously, we have reported that high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a proinflammatory mediator in sepsis, is released via the IFN-${\beta}$-mediated JAK/STAT pathway. However, detailed mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we dissected upstream signaling pathways of HMGB1 release using various molecular biology methods. Here, we found that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM kinase, CaMK) is involved in HMGB1 release by regulating IFN-${\beta}$ production. CaMK inhibitor, STO609, treatment inhibits LPS-induced IFN-${\beta}$ production, which is correlated with the phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Additionally, we show that CaMK-I plays a major role in IFN-${\beta}$ production although other CaMK members also seem to contribute to this event. Furthermore, the CaMK inhibitor treatment reduced IFN-${\beta}$ production in a murine endotoxemia. Our results suggest CaMKs contribute to HMGB1 release by enhancing IFN-${\beta}$ production in sepsis.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.453-460
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• 2005

4-Aminopyridine (AP) is a potassium channel blocker used in the treatment of neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer disease. AP‘s window of therapeutic effect appears to correlate with its plasma halflife (3.5 hours). It demonstrates pH-dependent solubility because of a weakly basic drug. In addition, the resulting release from conventional matrix tablets decreases with increasing pH-milieu of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study is to design sustained release matrix tablet containing AP, overcoming this problem. $Eudragit^{\circledR}$ L 100 (EuL) and sodium alginate were used in an effort to achieve pH independent drug release. The effect of sodium alginate and EuL on drug release from matrix tablet was investigated. The drug release behavior from the different tablets was analyzed by $t_{20%},\;t_{40%},\;t_{60%}$, The exponential diffusion coefficient n, kinetic constant K were calculated according to the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation. The drug release from matrix tablets prepared with sodium alginate was decreased with increasing the content of sodium alginate in pH 7.4 while there is no significant difference in pH 1.2. The exponent n values were determined to be approximately 0.5 and 0.8 respectively, in both pH 1.2 and 7.4. These values indicate diffusion-based anomalous mechanism and erosion-based anomalous mechanism, respectively. The drug release from sodium alginate matrix tablets prepared with solid dispersion of EuL containing drug showed a slow drug release in an acidic medium and a more fast drug release in phosphate medium, compared with sodium alginate matrix tablets prepared with physical mixture. These results may be attributed to the gel forming ability of sodium alginate and pH dependent solubility of EuL. Therefore, sustained-release AP matrix tablets using sodium alginate and EuL were successfully prepared.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 2009

The control mechanism of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on gonadotropin (GTH) release was studied using cultured pituitary cell or cultured whole pituitary obtained from Testosterone (T) treated and control immature rainbow trout. The release of FSH was not changed by salmon type GnRH (sGnRH), chiken-II type (cGnRH-II), GnRH analogue ([des-$Gly^{10}D-Ala^6$] GnRH ethylamide) and GnRH antagonist ([Ac-3, 4-dehydro-$Pro^1$, D-p-F-$Phe^2$, D-$Trp^{3,6}$] GnRH) in cultured pituitary cells of T-treated and control fish. Indeed, FSH release was not also altered by sGnRH in cultured whole pituitary. All tested drugs had no effect on the release of LH in both culture systems of control fish. The levels of LH, in contrast, such as the pituitary content, basal release and responsiveness to GnRH were increased by T administration in both culture systems. In addition, the release of LH in response to sGnRH or cGnRH-II induced in a dose-dependent manner from cultured pituitary cells of T-treated fish, but which is not significantly different between in both GnRH at the concentration examined. Indeed, LH release was also increased by sGnRH in cultured whole pituitary of T-treated fish. GnRH antagonist suppressed the release of LH by sGnRH ($10^{-8}\;M$) and GnRH analogue ($10^{-8}\;M$) stimulation in a dose-dependent manner from cultured pituitary cells of T-treated fish, and which were totally inhibited by $10^{-7}\;M$ GnRH antagonist. These results indicate that the sensitivity of pituitary cells to GnRH is elevated probably through the T treatment, and that GnRH is involved in the regulation of LH release. GnRH-stimulated LH release is inhibited by GnRH antagonist in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of gonadal steroids on FSH levels are less clear.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.147-155
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• 2023

Purpose: Headache is a very common disease experienced at least once in daily life, and tension-type headaches have a high and increasing prevalence. Chronic headaches can cause functional damage and huge socioeconomic impacts. This study aimed to compare the effects of myofascial release technique with manual therapy and self-myofascial release technique using a foam roller on the pain threshold and body schema in patients with chronic tension-type headaches. Methods: The study was conducted on 20 patients living in Busan with chronic tension headaches. Myofascial release technique with manual therapy was performed on the suboccipital, sternocleidomastoid, scalene, and upper trapezius muscles. The self -myofascial release technique using a foam roller was applied to the cervical and thoracic muscles. A laterality test was performed using a recognized neck application developed to evaluate body schema ability. A pressure-pain threshold test was performed using an electronic pressure algometer to compare the results before and after the myofascial release technique. Results: After applying myofascial release with manual therapy and a foam roller, the pressure-pain threshold values showed significant changes in both groups (p<.05). As a result of the laterality test, myofascial release with manual therapy and a foam roller were applied to the painful area. The values showed significant changes in both groups (p<.05), but only the group using the foam roller showed a significant difference (p<.05) in painless areas. Conclusion: The myofascial release technique with manual therapy can be the primary treatment technique for pain control in painful areas. The self-muscle release technique using a foam roller can be an effective method when there is no pain or when maintenance is needed after pain control.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.263-271
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• 1996

Sulconazole nitrate(SCN), an imidazole derivative which has been effective in the treatment of dermatophytosis, tinea versicolor and candidiasis, was formulated as a gel containing drug, poloxamer 407, ethanol and propylene glycol. The resulting SCN gels were evaluated with respect to their viscosity, drug release rate, skin permeation rate. The apparent viscosity of SCN gel increased in proportion to poloxamer 407, drug and propylene glycol concentration. In case ethanol was added, the apparent viscosity decreased. The drug release rate of SCN gel increased in proportion to temperature and ethanol concentration. But the drug release rate decreased as the concentration of poloxamer 407 increased. The increase of drug concentration induced nonlinear increase of drug release rate. When propylene glycol was added at the level of 10%, the drug release rate increased but from 15% it decreased. The skin permeation rate decreased in high concentration of poloxamer 407. The skin permeation rate of SCN gel containing 15% ethanol increased about twice than that of gel without ethanol. The increase of drug concentration induced nonlinear increase of skin permeation rate. When propylene glycol was added at the level of 10%, the skin permeation rate increased but from 15% it decreased.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.170-176
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• 2021

Thapsigargin (TG), a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor, has been widely used as an agonist for platelet aggregation for decades. In this study, we investigated the effect of TG on the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) for platelets and elucidated its mechanism. Platelet LDH release and platelet aggregation were increased by TG treatment; 1,000 nM of TG induced the complete lysis of platelets. Other agonists such as collagen (2.5 ㎍/mL), thrombin (0.1 U/mL), and ADP (10 mM) did not induce significant platelet LDH release despite platelet aggregation. Finally, we investigated the effects of pharmacological inhibitors on TG-induced platelet aggregation and LDH release. SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, and LY294002, a PI-3K inhibitor, inhibited TG-induced platelet LDH release but not platelet aggregation. Forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase activator, also inhibited LDH release without affecting platelet aggregation by TG. These results suggest that the TG-induced platelet aggregation was accompanied by LDH release but regulated by a different signaling pathway.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.471-475
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• 2001

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of slow-release fertilizer on warm type garlic cultivation in the Southwestern region of Korea. The slow-release fertilizers used were UF(Urea-Formaldehydes)70, 100, 130, CDU(Crotonylidene Diurea)100, and IBDU(Isobuty- lidene Diurea)100. The slow-release fertilizer treatment slightly increased plant height, leaf sheath diameter, and leaf number compare with conventional fertilizer treatment. Also, large bulb rate, nitrogen and pyruvic acid contents of garlic in slow-release fertilizer plot were higher than other treatments. Application of slow-release fertilizer increased the commercial yields.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.201-210
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of active release technique on sequelae of tibial plateau fracture. Two patients with sequelae of tibial plateau fracture were treated with active release technique. Visual analog scale (VAS), Lysholm knee scoring scale, range of motion were used to measure changes during treatment. After treatment, visual analog scale, Lysholm knee scoring scale, range of motion were improved significantly. Active release technique showed significant improvement to the sequlae of tibial plateau fracture that were showing no signs of improvement for twelve and eighteen weeks. This clinical trial showed that active release technique has meaningful effect on sequlae of tibial plateau fracture and more research should be followed.