• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2019

This paper aims to present a model of obesity and leanness based on eum, yang, ki and blood metabolism of Korean medicine. I analyzed the theory of eum, yang, ki and blood metabolism, yang transforming ki and eum forming the body on Korean medicine, and compared them with energy homeostasis by anabolism and catabolism of modern medicine. In the eum and yang theory, the metabolic process of the human body is dominated by synergism and antagonism between eum force and yang force. When the balance of eum and yang collapses, all the pathological actions of the human body appear, and in the eum and yang metabolic process, an imbalance between yang transforming ki and eum forming the body occurs. The function of yang transforming ki is reduced to ki deficiency, and the function of eum forming the body is increased to blood excess. When blood excess and ki deficiency is given, energy intake increases, energy expenditure decreases, overweight and obesity occur. On the contrary, the function of yang transforming ki is increased to ki excess, and the function of eum forming the body is decreased to blood deficiency. When ki excess and blood deficiency is done, energy intake decreases and energy expenditure increases, the body becomes leanness. When the balance of eum, yang, ki and blood metabolism collapses and becomes blood excess and ki deficiency, overweight and obesity occur, and when ki excess and blood deficiency is done, the body becomes leanness. The energy homeostasis of the human body can be explained by eum, yang, ki and blood metabolism of Korean medicine and it contains the concept of anabolism and catabolism of modern medicine.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Korean red ginseng, the processed root of Panax ginseng Meyer, has been frequently used for various therapeutic purposes in oriental medicine. The present study investigated the possible effect of Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) for the treatment of liver fibrosis in mice injected with carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) for 4 wk. Liver injuries were assessed by blood biochemistry and histopathology in mice treated with $CCl_4$ alone or $CCl_4$+ RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg). Concomitant treatment with RGE and $CCl_4$ (three times/wk for 4 wk) effectively inhibited liver fibrosis as evidenced by decreases in plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, as well as by the percentages of degenerative regions, numbers of degenerative hepatocytes, and collagen accumulation in hepatic parenchyma. Treatment with $CCl_4$ for 4 wk increased mRNA levels of transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in fibrogenic liver, whereas RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) significantly blocked the induction of fibrogenic genes by $CCl_4$. Similarly, RGE also prevented transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$-mediated induction of fibrogenic genes in human hepatic stellate cell lines. More importantly, RGE markedly reduced the number of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in liver tissue. This study implies that RGE efficaciously protects against the liver fibrosis induced by chronic $CCl_4$ treatment, and may therefore have potential to treat liver disease.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.179-183
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• 2009

To facilitate the genetic manipulation of Cladosporium phlei, a causal agent of leaf spot disease in timothy (Phleum pretense), protoplast-mediated transformation of C. phlei has been developed and the resulting transformants were characterized in this study. Hygromycin B resistance was applied as a dominant selection marker due to the sensitivity of C. phlei to this antibiotic. The transformation efficiency ranged from approximately 20-100 transformants per experiment. Southern blot analysis of stable transformants revealed that transformation occurred by way of stable integration of the vector DNA into the fungal chromosome. PCR analysis and plasmid rescuing of randomly selected transformants suggested that integration of tandem repeat copies of vector DNA was common. In addition, multiple integrations of the transforming vector at different chromosomal sites were also observed. The establishment of a transformation method for C. phlei facilitates strain improvement of this fungus and can be applied as an initial step in the molecular analysis of pigment production in this fungus.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2005

We developed alginate beads loaded with transforming growth $factor-{\beta}_{1}(TGF-{\beta}_{1})$ to examine the possible application of the scaffold and cytokine carrier in tissue engineering. In this study, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and $TGF{\beta}_{1}$ were uniformly encapsulated in the alginate beads and then cultured in vitro. The cell morphology and shape of the alginate beads were observed using inverted microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), histological staining and RT-PCR to confirm chondrogenic differentiation. The amount of the $TGF{\beta}_{1}$ released from the $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ loaded alginate beads was analyzed for 28 days in vitro in a phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) at $37^{\circ}C$. We observed the release profile of $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ from $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ loaded alginate beads with a sustained release pattern for 35 days. Microscopic observation showed the open cell pore structure and abundant cells with a round morphology in the alginate beads. In addition, histology and RT-PCR results revealed the evidence of chondrogenic differentiation in the beads. In conclusion, these results confirmed that $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ loaded alginate beads provide excellent conditions for chondrogenic differentiation.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 2006

Transforming growth $factor-{\beta}\;(TGF-{\beta})$ has been shown to have a positive effect on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and has been reported to stimulate meiosis at follicular level in variety of species. The study was designed to determine the expression patterns of $TGF-{\beta}1,\;TGF-{\beta}$ receptors type I, II and Smads gene in bovine oocytes and embryos. $TGF-{\beta}1$ and their receptors were observed in the unfertilized oocytes. $TGF-{\beta}1$ and type II receptor were not expressed at the blastocyst stage, however, only type I receptor was exclusively observed at the same stage. The blastocyst stage, in particular, showed high levels of mRNA expression patterns containing a $TGF-{\beta}1$ type I receptor. The mRNA expression pattern of Smad 2 at all stages of embryonic development was similar in all respect with $TGF-{\beta}1$ type I receptor. On the contrary, Smad 3 and 4 were expressed with high and low level mRNA at the blastocyst stage. In conclusion. it is suggested that $TGF-{\beta}1$ signaling may be regarded as an important entity during the preimplantation embryo development.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.314-320
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• 2000

Purpose :To investigate whether changes in plasma concentrations of transforming growth factor-$\beta$1(TGF-$\beta$1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-$\alpha$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) could be used to identify the development of radiation-induced pneumonitis in the lung cancer patients. Methods and Materials :Seventeen patients with lung cancer (11 NSCLC, 6 SCLC) were enrolled in a prospective study designed to evaluate clinical and molecular biologic correlation of radiation-induced pneumonitis. The study began in May 1998 and completed in July 1999. All patients were treated with radiotherapy with curative intent : 1.8 Gy per day, 5 fractions per week. Serial measurements of plasma TGF-$\beta$1, TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 were obtained in all patients before, weekly during radiotherapy and at each follow-up visits after completion of treatment. These measurements were quantified using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All patients were evaluated for signs and symptoms of pneumonitis at each follow-up visit after completion of radiotherapy. High resolution CT (HRCT) scans were obtained when signs and symptoms of pneumonitis were developed after completion of radiotherapy. Results : Thirteen patients eventually developed signs and symptoms of clinical pneumonitis 씬file four patients did not. TGF-$\beta$ 1 levels were elevated in all 13 patients with pneumonitis, which showed characteristic pattern of elevation (38.45 ng/ml at pretreatment, 13.66 ng/ml during radiotherapy, then 60.63 ng/ml at 2-4 weeks after completion of radiotherapy). The levels of TNF- $\alpha$ and IL-6 were also elevated In the group of patients who developed pneumonitis but the pattern was not characteristic. Conclusions : Changes in plasma TGF$\beta$-1 levels before, during and after radiotherapy appears to be a useful means by which to identify patients at risk for the development of symptomatic pneumonitis. Other cytokines like TNF- $\alpha$ and IL-6 shows no meaningful changes in association with radiation pneumonitis.