• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.111-124
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• 2002

A line of study reported that electroacupuncture(EA) modulate natural killer cell(NK Cell) activities. One report suggested that EA enhanced splenic interferon-gamma($IFN-{\gamma}$), interleukin-2(IL-2), and NK cell activity in Sprague-Dawley rats. Another study suggested that $IFN-{\gamma}$ mediates the up-regulation of NK cell activity, and endogenous ${\beta}$-endorphin secretion also play a role in the up-regulation of NK cell activity induced by EA stimulation. In order to better understand the molecular regulation underlying the activation of NK cell induced by EA, we have utilized cDNA microarray to elucidate how EA alters program of gene expression of spleen in rats. First, we divided three groups, group I was EA group treated with EA in restriction holder, group II was sham group with only holder stress, and last group III was control group with no treatment. We measured NK cell activity after EA stimulation three times for 2 days using $^{51}Cr$ release assay. Second, Biotin-labeled cDNA probes synthesized from EA group and sham group, were competitively hybridized to the microarray that contained variable genes. Such high-throughput screening has identified a number of EA-responsive gene candidates. Of these, we found that EA induced a subset of genes of genes that functionally could modulatory effects on NK cell activity. Genes(vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, protein-tyrosine kinase, CD94 mRNA) related to boost NK cell activity, were increased by EA And, genes(protein-tyrosine-phospatase mRNA, protein-tyrosine phosphatase(SHP-1) mRNA) related to inhibit NK cell activity, were decreased by EA. These EA-responsive genes may provide key insights from which to understand mechanisms of activation of NK cell induced by EA.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.271-284
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• 2002

This study was to provide basic materials to help reduce the fatigue by analyzing what effective factor the fatigue of hospital nurses in Gwangju and Jeonnam region. and what causes their fatigue. This descriptive research by Questionaires includes two hospitals in Gwangju. and seven hospitals in Jeonnam region, total 9 hospitals sampled at convenience sampling. The periods of collecting data was from Jul.22, 2002 to Jul. 30, 2002. Multidimensional Fatigue Scale; MFS, developed by Jang Se-Jin(2000) was taken to measure the fatigue. All collected materials were got the statistics by SAS for Windows Release 8.01. The result of this study was as follows. 1. This study included total 740 nurses, whose age ranged from 22 to 50; 30 years old by average. Nurses fatigue mean score was 90.24 (the scope by the measuring instrument is 19-133). Nurses at University Hospitals marked 92.36 and those at General Hospitals marked 87.91 in the mean score of fatigue. 2. They kept tired at work, and felt more tired while working at computer in the hospital. 3. The part of body in which they felt fatigue was the calf and $feet(36.6\%)$, the shoulders and back of the $neck(30.7\%)$, and the whole $body(10.8\%)$ and the reason that they felt tired at work was mental $stress(33.0\%)$, overworking(25.2\%)$, and irregular working $conditions(14.7\%)$ in order. 4. The solution to their fatigue at work appeared nothing by $50.1\%$, and the way of releasing fatigue after work indicated getting some $sleep(30.8\%)$, and taking a bath or a $shower(21.7\%)$ in order. 5. The degree of fatigue depending on whether they were satisfied with their pay and labor condition appeared low: and when they were satisfied with doctors. and when they were getting on well with caregivers. 6. The effective factor of the degree of fatigue appeared: the influence that fatigue in the hospital makes on daily life was $10.6\%$, the cause of fatigue at work, $9.3\%$, time of fatigue at work, $7.8\%$, the relationship with caregivers, $5.3\%$. and these explanatory$(R^2)$ variables.$33\%$. To conclude. the degree of nurses' fatigue appeared high. and it was higher in nurses at University Hospitals than in ones at General Hospitals. In addition, the influence that fatigue from the hospitals made on daily life was the most explanatory.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.163-177
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• 2008

Periodontal disease, a form of chronic inflammatory bacterial infectious disease, is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Porphyromonas gingivalis has been implicated in periodontal disease and widely studied for its role in the pathogenesis of CVD. A previous study demonstrating that periodontopathic P. gingivalis is involved in CVD showed that invasion of endothelial cells by the bacterium is accompanied by an increase in cytokine production, which may result in vascular atherosclerotic changes. The present study was performed in order to further elucidate the role of P. gingivalis in the process of atherosclerosis and CVD. For this purpose, invasion of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) by P. gingivalis 381 and its isogenic mutants of KDP150 ($fimA^-$), CW120 ($ppk^-$) and KS7 ($relA^-$) was assessed using a metronidazole protection assay. Wild type P. gingivalis invaded HASMCs with an efficiency of 0.12%. In contrast, KDP150 failed to demonstrate any invasive ability. CW120 and KS7 showed relatively higher invasion efficiencies, but results for these variants were still negligible when compared to the wild type invasiveness. These results suggest that fimbriae are required for invasion and that energy metabolism in association with regulatory genes involved in stress and stringent response may also be important for this process. ELISA assays revealed that the invasive P. gingivalis 381 increased production of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ and the chemotactic cytokines (chemokine) IL (interleukin)-8 and monocyte chemotactic (MCP) protein-1 during the 30-90 min incubation periods (P<0.05). Expression of RANTES (regulation upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) and Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, a pattern recognition receptor (PRR), was increased in HASMCs infected with P. gingivalis 381 by RT-PCR analysis. P. gingivalis infection did not alter interferon-$\gamma$-inducible protein-10 expression in HASMCs. HASMC nonspecific necrosis and apoptotic cell death were measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and caspase activity assays, respectively. LDH release from HASMCs and HAMC caspase activity were significantly higher after a 90 min incubation with P. gingivalis 381. Taken together, P. gingivalis invasion of HASMCs induces inflammatory cytokine production, apoptotic cell death, and expression of TLR-4, a PRR which may react with the bacterial molecules and induce the expression of the chemokines IL-8, MCP-1 and RANTES. Overall, these results suggest that invasive P. gingivalis may participate in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, leading to CVD.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.162-169
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• 2009

Pure titanium and its alloys are drastically used in implant materials due to their excellent mechanical properties, high corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility. However, the widely used Ti-6Al-4V is found to release toxic ions (Al and V) into the body, leading to undesirable long-term effects. Ti-6Al-4V has much higher elastic modulus than cortical bone. Therefore, titanium alloys with low elastic modulus have been developed as biomaterials to minimize stress shielding. For this reason, Ti-30Ta-xZr alloy systems have been studied in this study. The Ti-30Ta containing Zr(5, 10 and 15 wt%) were 10 times melted to improve chemical homogeneity by using a vacuum furnace and then homogenized for 24 hrs at $1000^{\circ}C$. The specimens were cut and polished for corrosion test and Ti coating and then coated with TiN, respectively, by using DC magnetron sputtering method. The analyses of coated surface were carried out by field emission scanning electron microscope(FE-SEM). The electrochemical characteristics were examined using potentiodynamic (- 1500 mV~+ 2000 mV) and AC impedance spectroscopy(100 kHz~10 mHz) in 0.9% NaCl solution at $36.5{\pm}1^{\circ}C$. The equiaxed structure was changed to needle-like structure with increasing Zr content. The surface defects and structures were covered with TiN/Ti coated layer. From the polarization behavior in 0.9% NaCl solution, The corrosion current density of Ti-30Ta-xZr alloys decreased as Zr content increased, whereas, the corrosion potential of Ti-30Ta-xZr alloys increased as Zr content increased. The corrosion resistance of TiN/Ti-coated Ti-30Ta-xZr alloys were higher than that of the TiN-coated Ti-30Ta-xZr alloys. From the AC impedance in 0.9% NaCl solution, polarization resistance($R_p$) value of TiN/Ti coated Ti-30Ta-xZr alloys showed higher than that of TiN-coated Ti-30Ta-xZr alloys.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2008

Panax ginseng C. A. MEYER is one of the most widely used herbal medicines in the Asian countries and has diverse functions including anti-diabetic action. The dysfunctions of mesangial cells in hyperglycemic conditions are implicated in the development of diabetic nephropathy. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are also associated with the onset of diabetic nephropathy. Thus, we examined the effect of ginsenosides against high glucose-induced dysfunction of primary cultured rat mesangial cells. In the present study, high glucose increased IGF-I and IGF-II secretion in mesangial cells. Ginsenoside total saponin (GTS) prevented high glucose-induced increase of IGF-I and IGF-II secretion in mesangial cells. In addition, GTS prevented high glucose-induced increase of lipid peroxide formation and decrease of GSH contents. GTS also ameliorates high glucose-induced increase of arachidonic acid release and decrease of prostaglandin $E_2$. In conclusion, GTS prevented high glucose-induced dysfunction of mesangial cells via inhibition of oxidative stress and arachidonic acid pathways.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.231-236
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• 1993

Clonidine, a centrally-acting antihypertensive agent known to reduce central sympathetic outflow and modulate presynaptic transmitter's release, has shown to suppress central noradrenergic hyperactivity induced by immobilization stress in animals, by decreasing the MAC of halothane and the dose of narcotics required to prevent reflex cardiovascular response to noxious stimuli, and to have potent analgesic properties in humans. These characteristics suggest that clonidine might be a useful adjunct to the anesthetic management of patients with preexisting hypertension. Accordingly, we determined the clinical efficacy and safety on analgesia, sedation and hemodynamic stability in the perioperative period. Thirty patients(ASA physical status II-III) with a history of arterial hypertension, scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery were randomly assigned to two groups. We applied CPA-clonidine patch($6.9\;mg/cm^2$, 0.2 mg delivered daily) or placebo patch to each groups, 48 hours prior to induction of anesthesia. Antihypertensive medication was continued until the morning of the scheduled surgery. All patients received premedication of atropine and lorazepam, and induced anesthesia with thiopental and succinylcholine, and maintained with enflurane and 50% nitrous oxide, while sustaining the BP and pulse rate at acceptable range. For the relief of pain postoperatively, diclofenac and fentanyl were administered intramuscularly on demand. The results were as follows: 1) The change of hemodynamic responses in clonidine group was less compared to the placebo group. 2) Intraoperative anesthetic requirement for enflurane in clonidine group were significantly lower than placebo group. 3) Postoperative analgetic requirement in clonidine group were significantly lower than placebo group. In clonidine group, 5 cases out of 15 cases were required no analgetics, and the incidence of administration of additional fentanyl was decreased to 5 cases, comparing with 10 cases in placebo group.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2012

The abnormal maturation and ossification of articular chondrocytes play a central role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Inhibiting the enzymatic degradation of the extracellular matrix and maintaining the cellular phenotype are two of the major goals of interest in managing OA. Ginseng is frequently taken orally, as a crude substance, as a traditional medicine in Asian countries. Ginsenoside $Rb_1$, a major component of ginseng that contains an aglycone with a dammarane skeleton, has been reported to exhibit various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, a chondroprotective effect of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ related to OA has not yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the chondroprotective effect of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ on the regulation of pro-inflammatory factors and chondrogenic genes. Cultured rat articular chondrocytes were treated with 100 ${\mu}M$ ginsenoside $Rb_1$ and/or 500 ${\mu}M$ hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and assessed for viability, reactive oxygen species production, nitric oxide (NO) release, and chondrogenic gene expression. Ginsenoside $Rb_1$ treatment resulted in reductions in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine and NO in $H_2O_2$-treated chondrocytes. The expression levels of chondrogenic genes, such as type II collagen and SOX9, were increased in the presence of ginsenoside $Rb_1$, whereas the expression levels of inflammatory genes related to chondrocytes, such as MMP1 and MMP13, were reduced by approximately 50%. These results suggest that ginsenoside $Rb_1$ has potential for use as a therapeutic agent in OA patients.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 2009

Oral diseases may hinder people from living a healthy life by causing obstacles in the nutrition supply of the human body. This study aims at the found out the eating habits and recognition factors of people who are currently suffering from denial pain, and made a predictive modeling using neural network, which is a data mining. The oral health condition for maintaining and improving oral health has been examined and analyzed through a survey and the groups were divided based on the presence and the absence of dental pain. This study observed on eating habits, exercise and oral habits. The study results of neural network modeling input parameter was selected significant survival factors. As a result of making a predictive modeling using the neural network, the fitness of the predictive modeling of dental pain factors was 88.7%. As for the people who are likely to experience dental pain predicted by the neural network model, preventive measures including proper eating habits, education on oral hygiene, and stress release must precede any dental treatment.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2003

In this work, the effect of PMR-15 content on the variation of surface free energy of the DGEBA/PMR-15 blend system was investigated in terms of contact angles and mechanical interfacial tests. Based on FT-IR result of the blend system. C=O (1,772, $1,778cm^{-1}$) and C-N ($1,372cm^{-1}$) peaks appeared with imidization of PMR-15 and -OH ($3,500cm^{-1}$) peak showed broadly at 10 phr of PMR-15 by ring-opening of epoxy. Contact angle measurements were performed by using deionized water and diiodomethane as testing liquids. As a result, the surface free energy of the blends gave a maximum value at 10 phr of PMR-15, due to the significant increasing of specific component. The mechanical interfacial properties measured from the critical stress intensity factor ($K_{IC}$) and the critical strain energy release rate ($G_{IC}$) showed a similar behavior with the results of surface energetics. This behavior was probably attributed to The improving of the interfacial adhesion between intermolecules, resulting from increasing the hydrogen bondings of the blends.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.31 no.4 s.54
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• pp.311-321
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• 2005

Tea (Camellia sinenis) is a popular beverage consumed worldwide. Since green tea, mainly consumed in Asia, has various biological activities, green tea components became one of the most favorite candidates as a functional materials for cosmetics and functional foods. The biological activities of green tea for skin cue have been ranged from protection of epidermal cells to the stimulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) biosynthesis. Green tea polyphenols (GTPs), which are active ingredients of green tea, possess anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and immune potentiation properties as well as antioxidant. They also modulate intracellular signal transduction pathways. GTPs decrease ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidative stress, thus suppress mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and apoptosis in keratinocytes. In addition, GTPs prevent the Induction of inflammatory mediators, such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by tumor necrosis factor alpha $(TNF{\alpha})$ or chemical treatment in keratinocytes. GTPs treatment protects from chemical-or UV-induced skin tumor incidence in animal experiment. Besides, GTPs stimulate keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation of normal and aged epidermal cells, resectively, and suppress matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) release. According to the progress of formulation study, green tea components will be guaranteed materials for the more effective skin cue products.