• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.209-220
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• 2014

Compressive Sensing (CS) is a new signal acquisition paradigm which enables sampling under Nyquist rate for a special kind of signal called sparse signal. There are plenty of CS recovery methods but their performance are still challenging, especially at a low sub-rate. For CS recovery of natural images, regularizations exploiting some prior information can be used in order to enhance CS performance. In this context, this paper addresses improving quality of reconstructed natural images based on Dantzig selector and smooth filters (i.e., Gaussian filter and nonlocal means filter) to generate a new regularization called smooth residual error regularization. Moreover, total variation has been proved for its success in preserving edge objects and boundary of reconstructed images. Therefore, effectiveness of the proposed regularization is verified by experimenting it using augmented Lagrangian total variation minimization. This framework is considered as a new CS recovery seeking smoothness in residual images. Experimental results demonstrate significant improvement of the proposed framework over some other CS recoveries both in subjective and objective qualities. In the best case, our algorithm gains up to 9.14 dB compared with the CS recovery using Bayesian framework.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.63-75
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• 2008

Objectives: In the present study, the author intended to investigate whether Gamijinhae-tang (Jiaweizhenke-tang) (GJHT) significantly affects both contractility of tracheal smooth muscle and mucin secretion from airway epithelial cells. Materials and Methods: Effect of GJHT on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle of rabbit was investigated. Confluent hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled with 3H-glucosamine for 24 hrs and chased for 30 min in the presence of GJHT to assess the effect of the agent on 3H-mucin secretion. At the same time, confluent NCI-H292 cells were chased for 30 min in the presence of GJHT to assess the effect of the agent on MUC5AC secretion by ELISA. Total elution profiles of control spent media and treatment sample (radioactive mucin) through Sepharose CL-4B column were analyzed. Also, effect of the agent on MUC5AC gene expression in cultured NCI-H292 cells was investigated. Possible cytotoxicities of the agent were assessed by measuring both lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from HTSE cells and examining the rate of survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells. Results: (1) GJHT inhibited Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle; (2) GJHT significantly increased mucin secretion from cultured HTSE cells. However, it did not affect MUC5AC secretion from NCI-H292 cells, only chiefly affecting the 'mucin' secretion; (3) GJHT did not significantly affect the expression levels of MUC5AC gene in cultured NCI-H292 cells; (4) GJHT did not significantly inhibit the survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells. However, it slightly increased LDH release from HTSE cells. Conclusion: The author suggests that effects of GJHT with their components should be further investigated and it is valuable to find, from oriental medical prescriptions, novel agents which might regulate mucin secretion from airway epithelial cells.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.318-325
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• 1999

Background: Anticholinesterase drug inhibits acetylcholinesterase(AChE), induce accumulation of acetylcholine(ACh) near cholinergic receptors and cholinergic stimulation. This experiment was performed to study the effects of anticholinesterase drugs on gastric motility and the effect of ethanol on anticholinesterase drug-induced motility change. Materials and Methods: After excision of stomach, $2{\times}10mm$ circular muscle strips were made, which were then fixed to the isolated muscle chamber. An isometric tension transducer was used to measure the contraction change of the gastric smooth muscle strips after drug addition. Results: Fenthion, an irreversible anticholinesterase drug, increased ACh induced contraction of gastric smooth muscle strips and PAM, a cholinesterase activator, antagonized this action. Physostigmine, a reversible anticholinesterase drug, also increased the ACh induced contraction. The gastric motility was decreased by PAM. Ethanol, which is known to induce smooth muscle relaxation, inhibited the increase of contraction by fenthion. Conclusion: These results indicate that irreversible and reversible anticholinesterase drugs increase gastric motility and antagonized by cholinesterase activating drugs. And when exposed to both ethanol and anticholinesterase drug, gastric motility was decreased by the smooth muscle relaxation effect by ethanol.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.227-234
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• 1998

Actin and tropomyosin of Cryptosporidium muris were localized by immunogold labeling. Two kinds of antibodies for actin labeling were used. The polyclonal antibody to skeletal muscle (chicken back muscle) actin was labeled on the pellicle and cytoplasmic vacuoles of parasites. The feeder organelle has showed a small amount of polyclonal actin antibody labeling as well. Whereas the monoclonal antibody to smooth muscle (chicken gizzard muscle) actin was chiefly labeled on the filamentous cytoplasm of parasites. The apical portion of host gastric epithelial cell cytoplasm was also labeled by smooth muscle actin together. The polyclonal antibody to tropomyosin was much more labeled at C. muris than host cells, so it could be easily identified even with low magnification (${\times}2,000$). The tropomyosin was observed along the pellicle, cytoplasmic vacuoles, and around the nucleus also. The skeletal muscle type actin seems to play a role in various celluar functions with tropomyosin in C. muris; on the other hand, the smooth muscle type actin was located mainly on the filamentous cytoplasm and supported the parasites firm attachment to host cells. Tropomyosin on the pellicle was thought to be able to stimulate the host as a major antigen through continuous shedding out by the escape of sporozoites or merozoites from their mother cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.187-194
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• 2011

Atherosclerosis and post-angiography restenosis are associated with intimal thickening and concomitant vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. Obovatol, a major biphenolic component isolated from the Magnolia obovata leaf, is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. The goal of the present study was to enhance the inhibitory effects of obovatol to improve its potential as a preventive or therapeutic agent in atherosclerosis and restenosis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced proliferation of rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) was examined in the presence or absence of a newly synthesized obovatol derivative, OD78. The observed anti-proliferative effect of OD78 was further investigated by cell counting and [$^3H$]-thymidine incorporation assays. Treatment with 1-4 ${\mu}M$ OD78 dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation and DNA synthesis of 25 ng/ml PDGF-BB-stimulated RASMCs. Accordingly, OD78 blocked PDGF-BB-induced progression from the $G_0/G_1$ to S phase of the cell cycle in synchronized cells. OD78 decreased the expression levels of CDK4, cyclin E, and cyclin D1 proteins, as well as the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen; however, it did not change the CDK2 expression level. In addition, OD78 inhibited downregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) $p27^{kip1}$. However, OD78 did not affect the CKI $p21^{cip1}$ or phosphorylation of early PDGF signaling pathway. These results suggest that OD78 may inhibit PDGF-BB-induced RASMC proliferation by perturbing cell cycle progression, potentially through $p27^{kip1}$ pathway activation. Consequently, OD78 may be developed as a potential anti-proliferative agent for the treatment of atherosclerosis and angioplasty restenosis.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2010

Previous studies report that organo-sulfur compounds derived from garlic inhibited smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and induced apoptosis of cancer cells. Recently, lipid-soluble compounds such as diallyl sulfides (DAS) and diallyl disulfides (DADS) have been reported to more effectively suppress tumor cell proliferation. However, there were few studies on the suppressive effects of lipid-soluble garlic sulfur compounds on the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Therefore, this study investigated the effect of DAS and DADS on VSMC proliferation/migration induced by oleic acid (OA), a principal fatty acid in circulating triglyceride of blood stream. Assays performed include a tetrazole (MTT) assay, a wound healing assay and a Western blots. VSMC proliferations were enhanced by OA in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of $10{\sim}50\;{\mu}M$ and inhibited by DAS and DADS compared to non-treated control. OA-induced proliferations were also attenuated by DAS and DADS. OA-induced cell migrations were 2.5 times higher than non-treated control, and they were significantly attenuated by DAS (32% at $150\;{\mu}M$ and 50% at $200\;{\mu}M$) and DADS (40% at $150\;{\mu}M$ and 46% at $200\;{\mu}M$). OA-induced cell migration was also attenuated by PD98059 (ERK inhibitor), SB203580 (P38 inhibitor) and particularly by LY204002 (PI3K inhibitor) and SP600125 (JNK2 inhibitor). Additionally, Western blot assays showed that OA-induced JNK1/2-phosphorylation was down-regulated after treatment with DAS and DADS. In conclusion, the findings of our study support the idea that DAS and DADS may have a suppressive effect on the proliferation and migration of OA-induced VSMC and that this effect may be partly associated with PI3K and JNK2 pathways.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.166-178
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• 2003

Objectives : Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in normal and pathophysiological cells as a messenger molecule, neurotransmitter, microbiological agent, or dilator of blood vessels and arteriosclerosis, respectively. This study was undertaken to understand the mechanism of NO production and effect of Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) on NO production in cultured vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC). Methods and Results : VSMC was isolated from aorta and cultured. Cultured primary cells were identified as VSMC with anti--smooth muscle actin antibody. A large amount of NO was produced in cultured VSMC treated with $IFN-{\gamma}$ plus TNF in a time- and dose-dependent manner. $TNF-{\alpha}$ was a more efficient stimulator than $IFN-{\gamma}$ in NO production of cultured VSMC. iNOS protein wasdetected within 3 hrs and it increased up to 12 hrs in a time-dependent manner. However, accumulated NO in cytokine-treated VSMC was not detected within 3 hrs. NO production in cytokine-treated VSMC showed the dose- and time-dependent manner, and increased up to 48 hrs. The activated VSMC produced a large amount of NO (about 60 uM). Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) alone did not induceNO production, but it potentiated the effect of $TNF-{\alpha}$ on NO production and increased NO production by about 20%. Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) did not affect the transcriptional activity of iNOS gene, but increased the accumulation of iNOS. These results indicate that Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) could modulate the translational level of iNOS. PKC did not modulate NO production, but calcium ionophore A23187 decreased NO production. However, Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) elevated the decreased NO production in A23187-treated VSMC by modulating the stability of iNOS transcripts. Half-life of the synthesized transcripts appeared to have about 6 hrs. PDTC, an $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor, blocked the accumulation of iNOS mRNA, indicating that $NF-{\kappa}B$ served as an important modulator in the transcriptional regulation of iNOS. As Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) potentiated the effect of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ on NO production but had no additional effect on PDTC-modulated NO production, it is suggested that Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) enhances the $TNF-{\alpha}-mediated$ NO production of VSMC by modulating the iNOS activity and the stability of iNOS transcripts in activated VSMC having the elevated intracellular calcium ion. Conclusions : This study suggests that Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (Xiefuzhuyu-tang) has a potential capacity for preventing and treating diseases of the circulation system, including arteriosclerosis.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.55-64
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• 2007

Our objective was to evaluate the clinical feasibility of spatial domain filtering as an alternative to additional image reconstruction using different kernels in CT. Kernels were grouped as H30 (head medium smooth), B30 (body medium smooth), S80 (special) and U95 (ultra sharp). Derived from thin coilimated source images, four sets of images were generated using phantom kernels. MTF (50%, 10%, 2%) measured with H30 (3.25, 5.68, 7.45 Ip/cm) B30 (3.84, 6.25, 7.72 Ip/cm), S80 (4.69, 9.49, 12.34 Ip/cm), and U95 (14.19, 20.31, 24.67 Ip/cm). Spatial resolution for the U95 kernel (0.6 mm) was 33.3% greater than that of the H30 and B30 (0.8 mm) kernels. Initially scanned kernels images were rated for subjective image qualify, using a five-point scale. Image scanned with a convolution kernel led to an increase in noise (U95), whereas the results for CT attenuation coefficient were comparable. CT images increase the diagnostic accuracy in head (H30), abdomen (B30), temporal bone and lung (U95) kernels may be controlled by adjusting CT various algorithms, which should be adjusted to take into account the kernels of the CT undergoing the examination.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.303-313
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• 1997

The role of the lower esophageal sphincter(LES) is characterized by the ability to maintain tone and to relax allowing the passage of a bolus. It is known that LES relaxation during swallowing may be induced by the cessation of the tonic neural excitation and the activation of non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic(NANC) inhibitory neurons. Furthermore, it is generally accepted that the relaxation of the smooth muscle is mediated primarily by the elaboration of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate(cyclic AMP) and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic mono-phosphate(cyclic GMP) via activation of adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase, respectively. It is thus possible that cyclic nucleotides might be a second messenger involved in neural stimulation-induced relaxation of LES, although a relationship between relaxation and changes in cyclic nucleotides after neural stimulation has not been established. The present study was performed to define the participation of cyclic nucleotides in the relaxation of LES of dog in response to neural stimulation. Electrical field stimulation(EFS) caused relaxation of the canine isolated LES strips in a frequency-dependent manner, which was eliminated by pretreatment with tetrodotoxin$(1{\mu}M)$, but not by atropine$(100{\mu}M)$, guanethidine$(100{\mu}M)$ and indomethacin$(10{\mu}M)$. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, $N^G-nitro-L-arginine$, $N^G-nitro-L-arginine$ methyl ester and $N^G-monomethyl-L-arginine$ inhibited EFS-induced relaxation. Additions of sodium nitroprusside, a nitrovasodilator and forskolin, a direct adenylate cyclase stimulant, caused a dose-dependent relaxation of LES smooth muscle. Effects of sodium nitroprusside and forskolin were selectively blocked by the corresponding inhibitors, methylene blue for guanylate cyclase and N-ethylmaleimide(NEM) for adenylate cyclase, respectively. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP and dibutyryl cyclic GMP caused a concentration-dependent relaxation of the LES smooth muscle tone, which was not blocked by NEM or methylene blue, respectively. However, both NEM and methylene blue caused significant antagonism of the relaxation in LES tone in response to EFS. EFS increased the tissue cyclic GMP content by 124%, whereas it did not affect the tissue level of cyclic AMP. Based on these results, it is suggested that one of the components of canine LES smooth muscle relaxation in response to neural stimulation is mediated by an increase of cyclic GMP via the activation of guanylate cyclase. Additionally, an activation of cyclic AMP generation system was, in part, involved in the EFS-induced relaxation.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.356-370
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• 2006

Objectives: The aim of this experimental study is to investigate effects of Dolichoris Semen, Terminaliae Fructus and Bojanggunbi-tangon the anti-cathartic action of mice and guinea pigs to develop effective herbal medicine and prescription to cure diarrhea early and to prevent side effect of chronic diarrhea. Methods: To compare effects of Dolichoris Semen, Terminaliae Fructus and Bojanggunbi-tangon the anti-cathartic action of mice and guinea pigs, we evaluated the actions on isolated gastrointestinal smooth muscles. on the transportability of small and large intestines, onthe neostigmine-induced transportability of small intestine and on diarrhea induced by castor oil, pilocarpine, barium chloride. Results: (1) Dolichoris Semen, Terminaliae Fructus and Bojanggunbi-tang showed the strong alleviation on the contraction of mice's isolated gastrointestinal smooth muscles induced by acetylcholine chloride and barium chloride. while Terminaliae Fructus, strong, Bojanggunbi-tang, intermediate and Dolichoris Semenshowed the minor alleviation on the contraction of guinea pigs' isolated gastrointestinal smooth muscles induced by acetylcholine chloride and histamine. All effects depended on the density in each medicine. (2) The tranbportability of small intestine was contrained in the groups controlled by 600 mg/kg of Dolichoris Semen, Terminaliae Fructus and Bojanggunbi-tang, and 200 mg/kg of D olichoris Semen and Terminaliae Fructus. However, the enhancement of neostigmine-induced transportability of small intestine was constrained only in the groups controlled by 600 mg/kg of Dolichoris Semen, Terminaliae Fructus and Boianggunbi-tang. (3) The transportability of large intestine was constrained by Dolichoris Semen and Bojanggunbi-tang. They showed substantial results. which depended on the amount of each medicine. (4) Terminaliae Fructus showed substantial anti-cathartic effects on diarrhea induced by caster oil in both groups controlled by 200 and 600 mg/kg of it. However, Bojanggunbi-tangshowed the effects only in the group controlled by 600 mg/kg. in diarrhea induced by pilocarpine, the groups controlled by 600 mg/kg or Terminaliae Fructus and 200 and 600 mg/kg of Boianggnbi-tangshowed substantial results. In diarrhea induced by barium chloride. the groups controlled by 200 and 600 mg/kg of Terminaliae Fructus and 600 mg/kg of Boianggunbi-tangshowed substantial results in anti-cathartic effects. Conclusions: These results show that Terminaliae Fructus is more effective on the contraction of mice and guinea pigs' isolated gastrointestinal smooth muscles, Dolichoris Semen is more effective on the transportability of small intestine, Dolichoris Semen and Bojanggunbi-tang are more effective on the transportability of large intestine. Terminaliae Fructus and Bojanggunbi-tang show substantial results in anti-cathartic actions.