• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.7-22
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• 2021

Objective : This study aimed to analyze the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive function recovery in patients with stroke. Methods : Data published in Korean and foreign academic journals from 2009 to 2019 were searched using the NDSL, RISS, PubMed, and CINAHL databases. A total of 11 experimental research articles were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A qualitative assessment was conducted, and a meta-analysis of nine results from seven of the stuides was performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 program. Results : Based on the results of the meta-analysis, the attention and memory effect sizes were 0.725 and 0.796, respectively, which were both considered a "medium effect size". Statistically significant changes were observed in both the areas (p<0.05). Conclusion : The results of this study confirmed that tDCS can be useful in the rehabilitation of patients with stroke with limited cognitive function. In addition, the application methods differed, indicating that a formalized tDCS protocol is required.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.23-41
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• 2021

Objective : The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of simultaneous dual-task training to assess executive function in older adults. Methods : We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and RISS databases of publicated studies in the past decade. Seven studies were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Qualitative assessment and meta-analysis were performed for the seven studies. Results : A randomized controlled trial design was used in the selected studies, and PEDro Scores above seven were obtained. The Trial Making Test (TMT) evaluated the effects of dual-task training on executive function in four studies. The Color Trail Test (CTT) was used in two studies, and Stroop test was used in three studies. The effect size for total executive function was 0.38, which was small. The effect sizes for TMT and CTT were 0.37. Stroop Test was 0.34, demonstrating that their effect sizes were also small. Only significant effects in total executive function, TMT, and CTT showed significant effects (all p<0.05). Conclusion : This study confirmed that dual-task training was effective in improving executive function in older adults. To improve the effectiveness of dual-task training, the difficulty of the dual-task training should be considered. It is also necessary to implement assessments that can evaluate performance under dual-task conditions as well as conventional test tools for executive function. In the future, dual-task training could be used as an appropriate intervention for executive function in older adults to delay the onset of dementia.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.75-87
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• 2021

Type I Interferons (IFNα) are known for their role as biological anticancer agents owing to their cell-apoptosis inducing properties. Development of an appropriate, cost-effective host expression system is crucial for meeting the increasing demand for proteins. Therefore, this study aims to develop codon-optimized IFNα-2b in L. lactis NZ3900. These cells express extracellular protein using the NICE system and Usp₄₅ signal peptide. To validate the mature form of the expressed protein, the recombinant IFNα-2b was screened in a human colorectal cancer cell line using the cytotoxicity assay. The IFNα-2b was successfully cloned into the pNZ8148 vector, thereby generating recombinant L. lactis pNZ8148-SP_Usp45-IFNα-2b. The computational analysis of codon-optimized IFNα-2b revealed no mutation and amino acid changes; additionally, the codon-optimized IFNα-2b showed 100% similarity with native human IFNα-2b, in the BLAST analysis. The partial size exclusion chromatography (SEC) of extracellular protein yielded a 19 kDa protein, which was further confirmed by its positive binding to anti-IFNα-2b in the western blot analysis. The crude protein and SEC-purified partial fraction showed IC₅₀ values of 33.22 ㎍/ml and 127.2 ㎍/ml, respectively, which indicated better activity than the metabolites of L. lactis NZ3900 (231.8 ㎍/ml). These values were also comparable with those of the regular anticancer drug tamoxifen (105.5 ㎍/ml). These results demonstrated L. lactis as a promising host system that functions by utilizing the pNZ8148 NICE system. Meanwhile, codon-optimized usage of the inserted gene increased the optimal protein expression levels, which could be beneficial for its large-scale production. Taken together, the recombinant L. lactis IFNα-2b is a potential alternative treatment for colorectal cancer. Furthermore, its activity was analyzed in the WiDr cell line, to assess its colorectal anticancer activities in vivo.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.6-16
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• 2023

To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of submerged culture using Cordyceps militaris mycelium, culture-including mycelia was extracted and lyophilized into postbiotics (hot-water extract; CM-HW). HW was fractionated into crude polysaccharide (CM-CP) by ethanol precipitation, and CM-CP was further dialyzed into CM-DCP by dialysis with running water using 12~14 kDa dialysis tube. When the cytotoxicity of subfractions against cells was assessed, no subfraction had a cytotoxic impact that was substantially different from the control groups. In an inflammatory model using LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, CM-DCP significantly decreased IL-6 and MCP-1 production levels compared to the LPS-control group. CM-DCP also inhibited IL-6 and IL-8 secretion in HaCaT keratinocytes stimulated with TNF-α and IFN-γ. In the meanwhile, the neutral sugar content and mannose ratio of anti-inflammatory CM-DCP were higher than the other fractions, and CM-DCP contained β-1,3/1,6-glucan of 216.1 mg/g. High pressure size exclusion chromatography revealed that CM-DCP contained molecules with a molecular weight range of 5.6 to 144.0 kDa. In conclusion, postbiotics of C. militaris mycelium significantly promoted anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting that neutral polysaccharides including Glc and Man contribute to the anti-inflammation in RAW 264.7 or HaCaT cells.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.487-494
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• 2009

Purpose: Small size of recombinant scFv antibody has many advantages such as rapid blood clearances and improved targeting antibodies to tumor region. On the other hand owing to small size, number of amino group is insufficient in conjugation with chelator and fluorescence labeling. This study is to introduce poly lysine tag to the C-terminal end of scFv lym-1 sequence for fluorescence chelator conjugation. Materials and Methods: Poly lysine scFv lym-1 gene, cloned into pET-22b (+) vector, was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain. Antibody purification was performed with Ni-NTA column and then size exclusion column chromatography. Expression and purification levels of poly lysine tagged scFv lym-1 antibody were confirmed by western blot analysis. I-124, I-125, I-131 and Tc-99m were used for radiolabeling of purified poly lysine scFv lym-1. Flow cytometry analysis of FIT( conjugated poly lysine scFv lym-1 was performed for confirmation of immunoreactivity of human Burkitt's lymphoma cells. Results: Poly lysine scFv lym-1 antibody was purified through two steps and identified as molecular weight of 48 KDa. Radiolabeling yields of I-124, I-125, I-131 and Tc-99m into poly lysine scFv lym-1 were >99%, >99%, >95% and >99%, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis of poly lysine scFv and scFv lym-1 was showed similar immunoreactivity to human Burkitt's lymphoma cells. Conclusion: Poly lysine tag was useful for the sufficient number of amino groups to scFv lym-1 antibody for chelator conjugation with minimizing loss of immunoreactivity.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.163-186
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the institutional conditions and problems for the transition to the North Korean economic system. As a research method, we first analyzed the legislative processes of 4th stage market reform policies (liberalization, privatization, privatization, and corporation) by major economic transition countries. And we found out the difference with North Korea. Based on this, it analyzed the process of institutionalization of North Korea's 4th stage economic reform policies (7.1 measures, comprehensive market policies, Currency reform, 6.28 policy). According to research, There are three important conditions that can not compare the changes of the North Korean market economy with those of the transition economies. First, the internal and external conditions and environment for the transition of the economic system and the role of the state and civil society are very different. Second, the means and objectives of the policy decision process and the implementation process are different. Third, it differs absolutely in terms of the nature and effectiveness of the nation's political and economic policies. Fourth, the priority, contents, and legislation process of economic policies for economic reform differ considerably from those of North Korea. Especially, when discussing the possibility of transition to the 'Chinese model', it is accompanied a considerable risk. It is because the purpose of market entry of control power in North Korea and their survival network are quite unique. In addition, China's domestic market size, population size, and type of control are quite different from North Korea. A necessary and sufficient condition for the transition of the North Korean economic system is the relaxation of physical control mechanisms and institutions in the market area. Next, it is necessary to make a legitimate institutionalization as well as an entire survey on the illegal ownership market. Based on this, it is necessary to gradually change the dependence of the domestic market on China to South Korea. In other words, this is a paradigm shift in the semi-controlled power exclusion, post-automation and domestic market.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.402-417
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• 2003

Purpose: To evaluate the use of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) as a carrier of the receptor-binding ligand the receptor mediated uptake into liver and subsequent metabolism of $^{111}In-labeled$ galactosylated MoAb-chelator conjugates were investigated and compared with those of $^{111}In$ labeled MoAb. Materials and Methods : T101 MoAb, $IgG_2$ against human lymphocytic leukemic cell, conjugated with cyclic DTPA dianhydride (DTPA) or 2-p-isothiocyanatobenzyl-6-methyl-DTPA (1B4M) was galactosylated with 2-imino-2-methoxyethyl-1-thio-${\beta}$-D-galactose and then radiolabeled with $^{111}In$. Biodistribution and metabolism study was peformed with two $^{111}In-conjugates$ in mice and rats. Results: $^{111}In-labeled$ T101 and its galactosylated conjugates were taken to the liver by the time, mostly within 10 min. However DTPA conjugate was retained longer in the liver than the 1B4M conjugate (55% vs 20% of injected dose at 44 hr). During this time, the radiornetabolite of DTPA conjugate was excreted similarly into urine (24%) and feces (17%). The radiometabolite of 1B4M was excreted primarily into feces (68%) rather than urine (8%). Size exclusion HPLC analysis of the bile and supernatant of liver homogenate showed two peaks the first (35%) with the retention time (Rt) identical to IgG and the second (65%) with Rt similar to free $^{111}In$ at 3 hr post-injection for the 1B4M conjugate, indicating that the metabolite is rapidly excreted through the biliary system. in contrast to DTPA conjugate, the small $^{111}In-DTPA-like$ metabolite was the major radioindium component (90%) in the liver homogenate as early as 3 hour post-injection, but the cumulative radioindium activity in feces was only 17% at 44 hour, indicating that the metabolite from DTPA conjugate does not clear readily through the biliary tract. Conclusion: The galactosylation of the MoAb conjugates resulted in higher hepatocyte uptake and enhanced metabolism, compared to those without galactosylation. Metabolism of the MoAb-conjugates is different between compounds radiolabled with different chelators due to different characteristics of radiometabolites generated in the liver.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.269-277
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• 2000

When Persicaria thunbergii and Rumex crispus were treated with Cd($NO_3$)$_2$ and Pb($NO_3$)$_2$ of 5 or 10 mM for 5 days, the amount of bioaccumulation of $Pb^{2+}$ in the leaf of P. thunbergii was 2.87-8.08$\mu\textrm{g}$/g and that of $Cd^{2+}$ was 0.82-2.79$\mu\textrm{g}$/g. In the case of P. thunbergii, the concentration of $Pb^{2+}$ in the leaf was higher than that of $Cd^{2+}$. On the other hand, in R. crispus, the concentration of $Cd^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$ were similar as follows ; 1.49$\mu\textrm{g}$/g in $Cd^{2+}$ 5mM, 2.90$\mu\textrm{g}$/g in Cd2+ 10mM, 1.83$\mu\textrm{g}$/g in $Pb^{2+}$ 5mM and 2.73$\mu\textrm{g}$/g in $Pb^{2+}$ 10mM. The remaining rate of heavy metals and the variation of pH in the cultured soil decreased as compared with control (100 % and pH 6.48) after 5 days as follows; to 77.l% and pH 6.39 in $Cd^{2+}$ 5mM, 90.2% and pH 5.79 in $Cd^{2+}$ 10 mM, 81.1% and pH 6.00 in $Pb^{2+}$ 5mM, and 85.7% and pH 5.80 in $Pb^{2+}$ 10 mM. The result of size exclusion chromatography, several phytochelatins were seperated from the extract of the leaf of both plants treated with heavy metals. The molecular mass of these phytochelatins were estimated as follows; in the case of P. thunbergii, about 4,300-8,600 da by $Cd^{2+}$ and about 3,200-9,700 da by $Pb^{2+}$, and in R. crispus, about 4,300 da by $Cd^{2+}$ and about 3,200-7,500 da by $Pb^{2+}$. In addition, $A_{254}$ of these phytochelatins were higher than $A_{280}$. [Phytochelatin, Persicaria thunbergii, Rumex crispus]

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2001

The quantification analysis of renal scintigraphy is strongly affected by the location, shape and size of region of interest(ROI). When ROIs are drawn manually, these ROIs are not reproducible due to the operators' subjective point of view, and may lead to inconsistent results even if the same data were analyzed. In this study, the effect of the ROI variation on the analysis of renal scintigraphy when the ROIs are drawn manually was investigated, and in order to obtain more consistent results, methods for automated ROI definition were developed and the results from the application of the developed methods were analyzed. Relative renal function, glomerular filtration rate and mean transit time were selected as clinical parameters for the analysis of the effect of ROI and the analysis tools were designed with the programming language of IDL5.2. To obtain renal scintigraphy, $^{99m}$Tc-DTPA was injected to the 11 adults of normal condition and to study the inter-operator variability, 9 researchers executed the analyses. The calculation of threshold using the gradient value of pixels and border tracing technique were used to define renal ROI and then the background ROI and aorta ROI were defined automatically considering anatomical information and pixel value. The automatic methods to define renal ROI were classified to 4 groups according to the exclusion of operator's subjectiveness. These automatic methods reduced the inter-operator variability remarkably in comparison with manual method and proved the effective tool to obtain reasonable and consistent results in analyzing the renal scintigraphy quantitatively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 1998

Purpose : The best prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma can be achieved with surgical resection. However, the number of resected cases is limited due to the advanced lesion or associated liver disease. A trial of combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) and local radiotherapy(RT) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) was prospectively conducted and its efficacy and toxicity were investigated. Materials and Methods : From 1992 to 1994, 30 Patients with unresectable HCC due either to advanced lesion or to associated cirrhosis were entered in the study Exclusion criteria included the presence of extrahepatic metastasis, liver cirrhosis of Child's class C, tumors occupying more than two-thirds of the whole liver, and an ECOG scale of more than 3. Patient cHaracteristics were : mean tumor size $8.95\pm3.4cm$, serum AFP+ in all patients, portal vein thrombosis in all patients, liver cirrhosis in 22 patients, and UICC stage III and IVA in 10 and 20 patients, respectively. TACE was performed with the mixture of Lipiodol(5ml) and Adriamycin(50mg) and Gelfoam embolizatin. RT(mean dose $44.0\pm9.3Gy$) 10 days with conventional fractionation. Results : An objective response was observed in 19 patients($63.3\%$). Survival rates at 1 2, and 3 years were $67\%,\;33.3\%$ and $22.2\%$, respectively. Median survival was 17 months. There were 6 patients surviving more than 3 years. Distant metastasis occurred in 10 patients, with 8 in the lung only and 2 in both lung and bone, Toxicity included transient elevation of liver function test in all patients, fever in 20, thrombocytopenia in 4, and nausea and vomiting in 1. There was no treatment-related death. Conclusion : Combined TACE and RT appear to produce a favorable response and survival results with minimal toxicity.